History comes alive in the unforgettable epic motion picture PEARL HARBOR, the spectacular blockbuster brought to the screen by Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. Astounding visual and audio effects put you at the center of the event that changed the world — that early Sunday morning in paradise when warplanes screamed across the peaceful skies of Pearl Harbor and jolted America into World War II. This real-life tale of catastrophic defeat, heroic victory, and personal courage focuses on the war’s devastating impact on two daring young pilots, Ben Affleck (ARMAGEDDON) and Josh Hartnet (BLACK HAWK DOWN), and a beautiful, dedicated nurse, Kate Beckinsale (SERENDIPITY). PEARL HARBOR is extraordinary moviemaking — a breathtaking reenactment of the “date which will live in infamy” and a heartfelt tribute to the men and women who lived it.To call Pearl Harbor a throwback to old-time war movies is something of an understatement. Director Michael Bay’s epic take on the bombing that brought the United States into World War II hijacks every war movie situation and cliché (some affectionate, some stale) you’ve ever seen and gives them a shiny, glossy spin until the whole movie practically gleams. Planes glisten, water sparkles, trees beckon–and Bay’s re-creation of the bombing itself, a 30-minute sequence that’s tightly choreographed and amazingly photographed, sets the action movie bar up quite a few notches. And in updating the classic war film, Bay and screenwriter Randall Wallace (Braveheart) use that old plot standby, the love triangle–this time, it’s between two pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) and a nurse (Kate Beckinsale) who find themselves stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, during what they thought would be a nice, sunny tour of duty. Then, of course, history intervened.
For the first 90 minutes of the movie, Affleck and Beckinsale find a nice, appealing chemistry that plays on his strengths as a movie star and hers as a serious actress–he gives her glamour, she gives him smarts. Their truncated romance–the beginning of which is told in flashback so we can get right to the point where he has to leave her to go to England–works, thanks to their charm. They’re no Kate and Leo from Titanic (a strategy the film strives hard toward), but they’re pretty darn adorable in their own right. Hartnett, as the not entirely unwelcome third wheel, squints bravely but makes only a slight dent in the film. Everyone else in Pearl Harbor–from Cuba Gooding Jr.’s brave navy seaman to Jon Voight’s able impersonation of FDR–is pretty much a glorified walk-on, taking a backseat to the pyrotechnics and action sequences that keep the three-hour film in fairly constant motion. But when that action does take hold, Pearl Harbor is quite a thrilling ride. –Mark Englehart
Rating: 
(out of 1964 reviews)
List Price: $ 19.99
Price: $ 10.00
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September 25, 2010
#1
Review by
Rating:
All I can say is this movie was over three hours long, and 70% of it was a very sluggish and unrelated love triangle that took entirely too long to blossom. I was really excited about this movie and must say I left the theater slightly irritated with the product they delivered. Very little wartime detail was given, and what was given was not explained in the kind of detail I was anticipating. I went to see a movie about Pearl Harbor. Instead I saw a very tedious, boring, lovers lament type story that left me unfulfilled. A better title would have been “A love story at Pearl Harbor” or “Even in War there can be Love” or something other than “Pearl Harbor” because this movie focused on a (lacking at best) love triangle, not war. It’s obvious to me that this was an attempt to “copy” the success of Titanic using the same idea of a love story. It missed. Know what you’re going to see before you go, and the movie will more “enjoyable”.
September 25, 2010
#2
Review by Chris Kennison
Rating:
I had a lot of preconceived notions about Michael Bay before I watched Pearl Harbor. You couldn’t have dragged me to go see this at the theatre. In fact, I waited till $1 rental day to watch it. I personally think Directors like Michael Bay and Roland Emmerich are everything that is wrong with hollywood… and I wasn’t disappointed.Too many movies go straight to production because of a concept, rather than taking the time and making sure the story is in place and it’s something worth telling. Of course Pearl Harbor is something worth telling, but it has to be more than that. It’s the personal stories that make it such a great and tragic story.Too bad Director’s like Fred Zinnemann, Michael Curtiz or Alfred Hitchcock weren’t around to give this movie some substance. Director’s of that class are a dieing breed. Meanwhile, young, visionless, money hungry, let’s blow some stuff up, lets keep it moving director’s are taking their place.I can just imagine the pow-wow sessions that started Pearl Harbor: “Lets see… the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor is coming up, gotta do a movie. People loved Titanic. We can’t do a sequel to Titanic, but we can do another disaster. It can happen. Let’s make Pearl Harbor the biggest POPCORN MOVIE of all time.”Popcorn movie…. yes, it is… and it’s too bad. Because popcorn movies are forgettable movies. Ten years from now, we’ll remember movies like Saving Private Ryan and Titanic because they had substance. Pearl Harbor only joins the list of movies that made big money, but made no impact, like Independence Day, Armageddon, Godzilla and the Patriot.On a positive note. The movie wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The performances were good. KATE BECKINSALE was as beautiful and confident as ever. The action sequences are incredible and intense. It is a movie that has its merits. Yet, it could have been so much better had the producers taken their time, instituted more ACTUAL and FACTUAL stories and spent more time on the methods of telling a story, rather then pouring all their efforts into attack sequences.Don’t buy this DVD. Another example of what I’m talking about. The 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor came up and they had to capitalize off of that, so they rushed out a lesser version of what they’re offering later down the road. That way they can get your money twice. The movie is divided onto two disks and the subtitles are hard to read. If you do want to buy this, wait for the special edition director’s cut DVD coming out on May 14.
September 25, 2010
#3
Review by GretschViking
Rating:
Why does Hollywood have to make a three hour movie about a terrible day in US history and turn it into ‘As The World Turns’? I could not believe that I sat through this piece of junk. It was 2 1/2 hours of ‘General Hospital’ and 1/2 hour of reality. It’s a shame that Hollywood feels that 99% of the films that come out today must contain some kind of soap opera setting to satisfy what they think the lady folks wish to see. I find that to be rather insulting to women and I am not a female. There is nothing romantic about December 7,1941. It gets 1 star for the actual attack sequence. I must mention that I highly doubt that while they flew over head, the Japanese pilots were signaling to the American children to take cover. Silliness. If you wish to see a great film on Pearl Harbor, seek out ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ and let this one rot.
September 25, 2010
#4
Review by
Rating:
save your money and just see the trailer. those 3 minutes are the only credit the movie deserves. this movie left me disgusted — the blatant propaganda, the cliched, flat STUPID “love” story (actually, you end up hating all the characters in the love triangle, not empathizing with them), the hysterically overblown production that gives hollywood it’s internationally bad name, the b level comic book dialog, the cardboard cut-out characters, and then probably the most grievous of all, the spit in the face this movie is to all who lost their lives and loved ones on BOTH sides. the “triumphant” revenge scene as they fly into japan was full of machismo and bombs with “this is for betty” painted onto their sides made me just about puke. pearl harbor was a devastating event for us, and the aftermath was even more devastating for japan (and others!). to take the cold, violent, craziness of such an event and instead make it into some sick hallmark card was something more than just bad, it’s irresponsible and insulting.the fact that they spend 145 million dollars on this is laughable. how expensive is a good writer?that said, maybe the only redeeming value is how unintentionally funny this movie is. in the very beginning of the movie, the two main characters are boys and reaching up to one boy’s dad as he flies over them in his farm plane, the cheesy music starts and you’re supposed to feel the power of their love for flying and the intensity of their dream. instead you just notice how they just got cropdusted.
September 25, 2010
#5
Review by lordhoot
Rating:
This must be one of the worst movies ever made in the history of Hollywood. Nothing about this movie ring true and it have to be one of the most insulting movies to Pearl Harbor veterans ever made – even if you happened to be a Japanese veteran! None of the characters are believable, the love interest felt so superifical that you are in awe of the actors who actually went through the motion. The attack on Pearl Harbor have to be one of the greatest fisco ever shot on film. All the fake smoke, noise and destruction. Worst of all were the manipulative emotional chain yanking. The sad thing was, the attack on Pearl Harbor was so poorly done that it almost look comical and unless you are a total dunce, you know that you are having your chain yanked so entire sequences looked like a put on job. I can’t believed that they opened this movie on an aircraft carrier at Pearl Harbor with invited veterans of the attack. What a torture that must have been!! Funny thing about this movie was that nothing worked. Love story don’t work, military history don’t work and acting don’t work. I think the movie insulted just about every one involved presently and all those who were there back in 1941.