Unbroken (2014)

After a near-fatal plane crash in WWII, Olympian Louis Zamperini spends a harrowing 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewmen before he's caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.

Director:

Angelina Jolie

Writers:

Joel Coen (screenplay), Ethan Coen (screenplay)

Stars:

Jack O'Connell, Miyavi, Domhnall Gleeson

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack O'Connell	...	Louis Zamperini
Domhnall Gleeson	...	Phil
Garrett Hedlund	...	Fitzgerald
Miyavi	...	Watanabe (as Takamasa Ishihara)
Finn Wittrock	...	Mac
Jai Courtney	...	Cup
Maddalena Ischiale	...	Louise
Vincenzo Amato	...	Anthony
John Magaro	...	Tinker
Luke Treadaway	...	Miller
Louis McIntosh	...	Harris
Ross Anderson	...	Blackie
C.J. Valleroy	...	Young Louie
John D'Leo	...	Young Pete
Alex Russell	...	Older Pete

Storyline

The life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete who joined the armed forces during the second world war. Only to be captured by the Japanese navy after a plane crash in the Pacific. During his capture, Louie must continue his fight by surviving through the war.

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Plot Keywords:

plane crash | torture | prisoner of war | emaciation | prison camp | 

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Taglines:

Survival. Resilience. Redemption.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for war violence including intense sequences of brutality, and for brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese Italian

Release Date:

25 December 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Unbroken

Filming Locations:

Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,621,445, 28 December 2014, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$115,637,895, 14 March 2015

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$161,459,297, 14 March 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

3 Arts Entertainment, Jolie Pas, Legendary Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital SDDS Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

American film debut of Miyavi. He previously starred in Oresama (2004).

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Goofs

When the POWs are bathing in the river and a flight of B-29s passes overhead, the shadows cast on the waters are those of B-24s.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Phil: [in cockpit] We are here.
Cup: [over radio] At 8,000 feet. This is it, boys.
Phil: [over radio] You got it, Zamp?
Louis Zamperini: [dialing in bombing scope] Roger.
Lambert: You hit this one, drinks are on me.
Louis Zamperini: I ain't going to a bar with you, handsome. You confuse all the broads.
Mac: [wolf-whistles]
Phil: Get your cameras, boys. I'm gonna light it up like Christmas.

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Connections

Featured in Film '72: Episode dated 5 November 2014 (2014)

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Soundtracks

God Made the Stars
Written by Alexandre Desplat

User Reviews

It's Fine

Just came out of a pre-release screening. It was fine. Above all, the word I would use would be "safe". It was a movie created not to fail, and it doesn't. Watching it is a reasonable way to spend 2 and a half hours. A bunch of bad stuff happens to Zamperini, he survives it in an inspiring way, the end.

IMDb movie reviews have to be 10 lines, but Unbroken doesn't really deserve it. There's more to be said about Zamperini the person than the film itself. It was narratively predictable, but that's forgivable given the nature of the film. The problem is it was visually predictable too. If someone were to right a textbook on how to make an inspiring movie, they could dryly and apathetically describe this movie shot for shot. So...hoorah I guess. It was fine.