'Pearl Harbor' Movie Review - No Spoilers by 'Mr A'

This is a very general personal opinion considering most have not seen it yet. I have mixed opinions about the movie because I thought the WWII sequences were great but the romance story lacked. This is a movie that is a dramatic love story with a WWII back drop. Watching the movie, I wanted to see more of the American And Japanese Commanders but it always returns to the love story. The performances of FDR, the American Commanders, and Japanese Commanders were great. The characters in the love story seemed like they are just going through the motions without the feeling. It just didn't have much meat to it. Now I did not go to see the romance part of the movie but considering its about 3 hours long, the romance part is the huge chunk of the film and you needed to sit through it to get to the cool WWII stuff. I though Kate Beckinsale did a great job and I can't wait to see her in more movies. Its hard to believe she has a strong English accent. I wish there was more of Cuba in there.
Michael Bay showed way too much footage in his trailers. Less would have been better. 
This movie will make big bucks. I wish the movie had a better romance since it is the bulk of the movie but with that spectacular battle scenes and the awe for veterans that you get after you watch… its a pretty good movie.

I am planning to see the film again whole family and friends when it opens even though I could not see myself in the movie. I hope I will like it better the second time around. I was getting uncomfortable in those literally stadium seats. The cushions actually started to hurt by the second hour. I guess I'm just too used too the huge lounge chairs in my local Hawaii theaters J.

Go in with an open eye. There is a good chance you may totally love it. I'm hoping maybe in a more comfortable setting, I'll like it better too.

Respect to Veterans:
This was always a big question. I can answer with a most definite YES. It just made what those veterans went through even more unbelievable. Especially the Doolittle raid because we have read about it and seen documentaries but to see it as if you were there in the plane. Wow.

The 40 minute Pearl Harbor bombing and the Doolittle raid are spectacular images and awe inspiring. 

Violence:
I have said before that when I was an extra on the Hawaii, there were tons of mangled bodies, blood, and severed body parts. None of it is in the movie. It is not gory at all. I am presuming they held back on the gore for the PG-13 rating. This does not mean that the chills weren't there. They did not show you exactly what is going to the soldiers being attacked but your imagination fills in the gap and so is still extremely powerful. You don't necessarily need much gore to get your message across.

Racism Towards Japanese:
This is a big topic on the forums and across the nation. The movie portrays the Japanese as being forced to attack the United States (I won't say why). They are shown as brilliant military that caught the unprepared Pacific Fleet by surprise. The Japanese pilots are shown as regular people with families back home and not an uncaring enemy. There is no reason to claim racism. There is a complaint by the Japanese community that a scene involving a Japanese dentist (you'll know what I mean when you see the film) should be cut from the film. Even though they admit what happens in the scene is Historically accurate, they want it out because the fear of anti-Japanese feelings. I think those people claiming that have not watched the film closely because the film makes it so no anti feeling could be made. When you see it you'll understand. I don't want to spoil things.

Historical Accuracy:
This was a HUGE topic for many. I will tell you that many of the inaccuracies many have pointed out through the trailers have been fixed like the whole Cuba with blanks. Is there historical inaccuracies in the film, there probably is. I didn't notice anything bad, and neither did anyone else who saw it.