If you watch and rate this movie as a WWII movie or a movie about history then you are missing the point. This movie is about the people and their stories at the raw personal level. Too many movies try to go big and tell the big story that's been told a hundred times or cook up some nonsense love story to sell tickets. Or worse yet they try to go with big budget CGI and forget about the people and their lives during the war. The movie follows along with the war fairly accurately and overall the film looks good, but it is not directed or filmed to be a totally accurate portrayal of the war. Interestingly, it does portray the true nature of the Japanese naval aviators and people during the war.
It is one story among countless others that came from that war and its done very well. Its more of a story of what the insanity of war does to people and how its effects can be felt long after the war. From beginning to end it will have you thinking and your emotions will swing back and forth a few times.
