Unbroken (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'Unbroken', based on a book by Lauren Hillenbrand & directed by Angelina Jolie (yes, that Angelina Jolie), is an inspiring, affecting biopic about Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell, in a star-making turn), an Olympic athlete who wowed the world in 1936, but later joined the Army Air Corp & faced unimaginable hardships during WWII. The film opens during said war with Louis & his fellow airmen in a riveting dogfight with Japanese planes. Forced to crash land with their plane badly damaged, the crew is given another assignment & put in another plane of disrepair. Unfortunately for them, the plane malfunctions & they plummet into the Pacific.
Zamperini & a few others (including Domhnall Gleeson, Finn Wittrock - of American Horror Story fame) spend 47(!) days adrift on a raft, fending off sharks, drinking rainwater, & eating whatever fish they manage to catch. The surviving raftmates are eventually spotted by a Japanese naval ship, picked up, & sent off to one of Japan's notorious POW camps. In the camp, he is singled out for relentless torture by the psycho-sadistic camp leader known as "the Bird" (Japanese pop-star Miyavi) who, realizing the strength it takes to be an Olympian, figures that if he can break Louis, he can break the other prisoners, as well. What ensues is a litany of horrors that Louis must endure (verbal bashings, bamboo canings, beatings, & the like). The Bird is both impressed with Louis' fortitude, but also disgusted with him. Torture, torture, & more torture ensues en route to Louis' eventual freedom.
Capably directed by Jolie with a script penned by a plethora of Oscar-nominated screenwriters, 'Unbroken' is one of the more inspiring, if also difficult films to experience this year. Peppered throughout the film (mostly in the first 1/2), we are introduced to Zamperini's early life via flashbacks and, it is these scenes in which we learn just why he's as tough as he is. Though raised by his loving, straight-off-the-boat Italian parents), Louis is taunted & bullied as a "dago" in school and encouraged/urged to join the school track team so as to stay out of the constant trouble he was always getting himself into. Running focused him, gave him a sense of purpose, & we see the innate endurance he has in his ability to run long distances. His beloved brother's parting words to him as he departs on a train for the Olympics were, "A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory". Those words inspired him for the competition, but little did he know how much they'd mean to him over in Japanese POW camps.
'Unbroken' will leave most audiences with nothing but admiration for Zamperini, a strong, noble man who managed to survive such horrors through determination, grit, a belief in himself, & a belief in something beyond. The solemn weight of this epic drama rests mostly on Jack O'Connell, a slight, but charismatic Brit who embodies Zamperini's integrity. Not only does O'Connell undergo Louis' life-changing mental changes throughout the story, but some incredible physical changes, as well. He arrives at the camp emaciated, and yet, that is when his true torment begins. It is the unassailable strength hidden behind his blue eyes that makes O'Connell's performance stand out as one of the best of this year. Also effective is Miyavi who, as the commander who lends a hypnotic, effeminate lilt to his evil line readings ... then terrifies us with his unpredictable bursts of violence.
'Unbroken' was created by an unbelievable team of filmmakers. Jolie had Roger Deakins for her cinematographer and, indeed, the film is gorgeous to look at. The action is deftly handled & assembled by Oscar-winning editors. The script was written by the likes of the Coen Brothers(!), Richard LaGravenese, & William Nicholson (though, some would argue that there were too many cooks in the kitchen). Now, there IS something distancing about the effect of this movie. For as singularly personal as it is, there is more depth to Louis Zamperini that could have been explored; more psychological depth btwn. he & The Bird, perhaps. And the film would have benefited from some judicious editing; trimming some scenes of the brutality would've improved some pacing issues.
But I admire Angelina for bringing this story of loyalty, perseverance, & survival to the big screen; a story that was looking for a director in Hollywood for some 57 yrs. now. I like that there is thematic depth without having to resort to any contrived scenes of verbose dialogue. Jolie brought a woman's touch to the proceedings; warm, tender moments of male camaraderie & vulnerability. The end of this film shows the real Zamperini running with the 1998 Olympic torch through Tokyo; exemplifying the movie's message of forgiveness. With the power of God, Louis forgave his captors -- that's very powerful. Yes, 'Unbroken' celebrates the resilient power of the human spirit, I just wish I got to know a little more about Louis Zamperini separate from the atrocities he overcame.
Zamperini & a few others (including Domhnall Gleeson, Finn Wittrock - of American Horror Story fame) spend 47(!) days adrift on a raft, fending off sharks, drinking rainwater, & eating whatever fish they manage to catch. The surviving raftmates are eventually spotted by a Japanese naval ship, picked up, & sent off to one of Japan's notorious POW camps. In the camp, he is singled out for relentless torture by the psycho-sadistic camp leader known as "the Bird" (Japanese pop-star Miyavi) who, realizing the strength it takes to be an Olympian, figures that if he can break Louis, he can break the other prisoners, as well. What ensues is a litany of horrors that Louis must endure (verbal bashings, bamboo canings, beatings, & the like). The Bird is both impressed with Louis' fortitude, but also disgusted with him. Torture, torture, & more torture ensues en route to Louis' eventual freedom.
Capably directed by Jolie with a script penned by a plethora of Oscar-nominated screenwriters, 'Unbroken' is one of the more inspiring, if also difficult films to experience this year. Peppered throughout the film (mostly in the first 1/2), we are introduced to Zamperini's early life via flashbacks and, it is these scenes in which we learn just why he's as tough as he is. Though raised by his loving, straight-off-the-boat Italian parents), Louis is taunted & bullied as a "dago" in school and encouraged/urged to join the school track team so as to stay out of the constant trouble he was always getting himself into. Running focused him, gave him a sense of purpose, & we see the innate endurance he has in his ability to run long distances. His beloved brother's parting words to him as he departs on a train for the Olympics were, "A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory". Those words inspired him for the competition, but little did he know how much they'd mean to him over in Japanese POW camps.
'Unbroken' will leave most audiences with nothing but admiration for Zamperini, a strong, noble man who managed to survive such horrors through determination, grit, a belief in himself, & a belief in something beyond. The solemn weight of this epic drama rests mostly on Jack O'Connell, a slight, but charismatic Brit who embodies Zamperini's integrity. Not only does O'Connell undergo Louis' life-changing mental changes throughout the story, but some incredible physical changes, as well. He arrives at the camp emaciated, and yet, that is when his true torment begins. It is the unassailable strength hidden behind his blue eyes that makes O'Connell's performance stand out as one of the best of this year. Also effective is Miyavi who, as the commander who lends a hypnotic, effeminate lilt to his evil line readings ... then terrifies us with his unpredictable bursts of violence.
'Unbroken' was created by an unbelievable team of filmmakers. Jolie had Roger Deakins for her cinematographer and, indeed, the film is gorgeous to look at. The action is deftly handled & assembled by Oscar-winning editors. The script was written by the likes of the Coen Brothers(!), Richard LaGravenese, & William Nicholson (though, some would argue that there were too many cooks in the kitchen). Now, there IS something distancing about the effect of this movie. For as singularly personal as it is, there is more depth to Louis Zamperini that could have been explored; more psychological depth btwn. he & The Bird, perhaps. And the film would have benefited from some judicious editing; trimming some scenes of the brutality would've improved some pacing issues.
But I admire Angelina for bringing this story of loyalty, perseverance, & survival to the big screen; a story that was looking for a director in Hollywood for some 57 yrs. now. I like that there is thematic depth without having to resort to any contrived scenes of verbose dialogue. Jolie brought a woman's touch to the proceedings; warm, tender moments of male camaraderie & vulnerability. The end of this film shows the real Zamperini running with the 1998 Olympic torch through Tokyo; exemplifying the movie's message of forgiveness. With the power of God, Louis forgave his captors -- that's very powerful. Yes, 'Unbroken' celebrates the resilient power of the human spirit, I just wish I got to know a little more about Louis Zamperini separate from the atrocities he overcame.