Letters from Iwo Jima

Although Eastwood’s decision to shoot with local cast members and language is an excellent choice, the sum of its parts does not transmit the feeling of dread from one of the bloodiest fights in WW2. More precisely, bland acting by a major character fails to deliver the feeling of desperation that the battle should transmit (Private First Class Saigo played by Kazunari Ninomiya), and thus harkens the situations around him. Even so, the musical score is excellent and Eastwood’s take on the human side of the battle from within a Japanese perspective is touching, presenting soldiers in a caring, sensitive and respectful way. Historical accuracy is spot on, and the public can actually watch and learn with the movie itself, even though filming locations are shot mostly outside Iwo Jima (in California).