Flags of Our Fathers (2006)

As you may know, it's a big Clint Eastwood fan who writes these reviews. This was the first time I'd seen the first half of Eastwood's double bill on the battle for Iwo Jima, this one focusing on the American attack from their point of view. The companion piece which I'm yet to see, Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) centers on things from the Japanese perspective. So even before it starts, you know this is an ambitious undertaking from the now 93 year old Eastwood. For the most part, Flags Of Our Fathers is Eastwood performing at his consistently top level. He's got to be one of the most solid film makers working in cinema, and I respectfully disagree with those who consider him unspectacular. The film tells the tale of the planting of the American flag on the tip of a rock face on Iwo Jima- the picture taken of American soldiers planting the flag is incredibly famous, made even more so by the statue at Arlington Ridge Park. Flags Of Our Fathers is the tale of that photo, amongst others, and it's a tale I knew nothing about. The film is told in three different time frames, and this can get confusing towards the end when the flitting and editing becomes a bit too quick to keep up with, and leaves portions of the film a bit unfocused. Eastwood's shooting of the beach landings on Iwo Jima however, are masterful, choosing a to use a grey/blue colour palette that works superbly. With the Omaha beach landing sequence in Saving Private Ryan (1998) still looming large over every single battle sequence in every single war film in cinema, Eastwood wisely chooses to film this beach landing in a very different way, and it works a treat. So, aside from a slightly off putting three way time line, Flags Of Our Fathers is yet another impressive piece of work from a man showing no signs of slowing down, with his latest film due out in Summer 2024. 7.8/10