Flags of Our Fathers (DVD)

While Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers is the weaker, more-flawed film in his Iwo Jima double-feature, it's probably the more interesting entry. Eastwood and screenwriter Paul Haggis, whom the director collaborated with on Million Dollar Baby and yet again on Letters From Iwo Jima, set out to make a film that played on perception versus reality during war time and what it means to be a hero. The film focuses on three soldiers (played by Ryan Phillipe, Jesse Bradford and Adam Beach) who appeared in the iconic photo depicting the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima. This was, in reality, the second flag that was raised (there's an interesting story as to what happened to the first) but this is exactly what the film is about.

There's an interesting scene early in Flags where three soldiers are climbing up a hill. The sounds of explosions and the shots of light in the sky - some of the classic depictions of war in movies - are in full throttle. But when the soldiers finally make their way to the top of the hill, Eastwood reveals the hill as a fake. The soldiers are not at war. They're in - where else - Soldier Field. The explosions are fireworks and the sounds of thunder are the thousands of Americans applauding these "heroes". I was immediately interested in what the film had to say because the image grabbed me. These were the soldiers who appeared in the photo that, many say, single-handedly changed the perception of the war for Americans back home.

The photo becomes a sensation, an iconic image for an American victory (even though the picture was taken on the 5th day of a 35-day campaign) that bolstered American patriotism and thereby giving the war effort one hell of an assist. As one character in the film states, "The country was bankrupt. People were becoming cynical, tired of the war." One photo helped turn things around and the United States military was going to make sure they milked it for all it was worth. So they bring the three surviving soldiers in the photo back home to use their celebrity to sell war bonds.

How these three soldiers dealt with the drive is the most interesting aspect of the movie and there is some good work on display here. Phillipe is an actor I have never cared for, but in the last couple of years I have been turning around. He's the voice of the film, John "Doc" Bradley, and he's very good. He doesn't feel good about lying and doesn't see himself as a hero, but he understands he has an important part to play and what he does back home may help the soldiers abroad. Adam Beach, in a very moving performance, is the film's soul, a man who can't stand being labeled a hero and fears he dishonors the dead with every photo op. He feels like a phony as thousands in a crowd applaud him because all he can think about are his friends who died on the island. The most disappointing performance in the film is Jesse Bradford who had a chance to really make an impression. He loves the limelight. He plays a man who when asked if it was true he joined the Marines because they had the best uniforms, responds, "There's no sense in being a hero if you don't look like one." Now there's a guy you could either love or hate but Bradford is too bland to be either. As a result, there's no strong character arc or journey or villain. Bradford has one good moment where he admits to a crowd he was "just a runner" and not a real hero but later it's as if that moment never happened.

Throughout the bond drive, Eastwood flashes back to the battle of Iwo Jima. The war scenes are everything you remember from Saving Private Ryan; the colors are bleached, it's gritty and there are gruesome depictions of death. Eastwood nails these scenes in Flags from a technical standpoint but the emotional grip isn't there because of the film's narrative. Every flashback portends a higher truth, a mystery or a revelation that is just around the corner. You realize later there is no higher truth, or revelation or mystery building; you realize it's a more abstract exercise that was just pretty shoddy in it's execution.

Then Haggis and Broyles Jr. make author James Bradley (son of John "Doc" Bradley, the man played by Phillipe) a character as well and this is probably the most bone-headed choice in the film. The movie already has enough on its plate between the battle and the bond drive and the insertion of Bradley interviewing long-retired soldiers just comes off as sloppy (it also sets up a horribly-handled ending which I'll let you see for yourself if you decide to pick this one up).

A character early in the film tells us war isn't simple. We like good and evil. We like simple truths. But war is a lot more complicated than that. The problem is, complicated is a harder sell. And if you're going to try and break it down, you better do so in as few words as possible. A picture will do nicely. Images work. Eastwood and Haggis should have heeded these words. The filmmakers try to do too much and because of it, end up coming up short.

So that's the movie. What about the DVD? Glad you asked. Here are the features:

• Play
• Set Up

Wow. I'm totally freaking overwhelmed. My recommendation is you pass on this DVD and just rent it because I expect some serious double-dipping by Paramount, but it is odd considering Warner will most likely have the rights to Letters From Iwo Jima. Does this mean no box set? No matter what, this is not one you'll be looking to purchase twice so save your cash for the next version.