Having watched and been disappointed by Eastwood's FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, I was eager to try another Iwo Jima story and this John Wayne one came up. The ultimate film detailing that battle is, of course, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA which portrays the Japanese perspective, but for the American viewpoint, SANDS OF IWO JIMA is the one to go for.
This is an engaging and compelling portrayal of the battle full of realistic and gripping battle sequences full of fire, destruction, and explosion. It says something that the newsreel footage mixed in with the filmed footage doesn't stand out at all and it's very difficult to tell the two apart, so authentic-looking are the battle scenes in this.
The plot is simplistic stuff, with a squad of soldiers working their way through the campaign, bickering and losing men as they do so. It's held together by John Wayne as the gruff Sergeant Stryker. Wayne plays one of his most likable characters in this film and he's a real delight, mixing sensitivity and brawn in a believable way. The supporting cast, including the likes of Forrest Tucker, are fine too. SANDS OF IWO JIMA is a film that doesn't feel dated at all despite the time that has elapsed since release and for an exploration of the American perspective in WW2 it does its job very well.
This is an engaging and compelling portrayal of the battle full of realistic and gripping battle sequences full of fire, destruction, and explosion. It says something that the newsreel footage mixed in with the filmed footage doesn't stand out at all and it's very difficult to tell the two apart, so authentic-looking are the battle scenes in this.
The plot is simplistic stuff, with a squad of soldiers working their way through the campaign, bickering and losing men as they do so. It's held together by John Wayne as the gruff Sergeant Stryker. Wayne plays one of his most likable characters in this film and he's a real delight, mixing sensitivity and brawn in a believable way. The supporting cast, including the likes of Forrest Tucker, are fine too. SANDS OF IWO JIMA is a film that doesn't feel dated at all despite the time that has elapsed since release and for an exploration of the American perspective in WW2 it does its job very well.