Unbroken

I cannot understand the negative reviews of this movie ,are the themes of bravery,endurance and forgiveness outdated?It is well known that the regeime of Japanese prison camps was cruel to say the least.The acting of the lead players was faultless proving again that British and Irish actors can play the roles of Americans.I found the movie moving, inspirational. Yes it was violent but not gratious. Ms Jolie is to be congratulated on her directing. One question did the leads fast for their roles or was CGI used to give the impression of their skeletal frames.The ariel dog fights did use use computer enhancement as did the plane crash.I found this movie much more watchable than the much praised"American Sniper"

I never compare books and movies, but one thing the book has over the movie was the distinct unpreparedness we had for war. The planes were flying deathtraps, and the supplies were totally inadequate.

Angelina Jolie had to make decisions about what to include and exclude in a two-hour film, so we missed a lot of important information that was in the book. No matter, the film itself was well worth watching. Not a great film, but entertaining.

If you want to be shocked and angered at the aircraft manufacturers, the military that failed to supply the troops ( where have we heard that before?), and the absolute barbarity of the Japanese in their prison camps, buy the book.

Come to think about it, watching the film will help you appreciate the book so much more.

I had never heard of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini until he died last year. My dad had read Laura Hillenbrand's book about Zamperini's experiences in a Japanese POW camp, so Zamperini's death caught his attention. But the news that there was a movie about Zamperini's experience getting released caught my attention.

Well, Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken" isn't a great movie, but it's worth seeing. The point is that Zamperini refused to let his captors break him, hence the title. Seeing what the captors did, I got the feeling that anyone in their positions would do the same. War simply breeds cruelty.

The movie's obvious downside is that Jolie probably made the movie with the aim of winning an Oscar. I didn't find the movie Oscar-worthy, and the Academy apparently agreed. In fact, some parts of the movie drug on too long. But I thought that it was a good look at how Zamperini stood strong in a desperate situation. Not a masterpiece, but something that you should. As for Jolie's decision to exclude the part about Zamperini's conversion to Christianity, that wasn't an important part of his survival in the POW camp, and there are a few too many movies in which people's faith "saves" them. The movie is good enough already.

Unbroken opens with an extended sequence of a bombing run by a US B-17 crew against Japanese targets in the Pacific, and the subsequent attack on the bomber by a squad of Japanese Zero fighters. This aerial combat sequence is one of the most harrowing of it's kind I have ever seen. You actually feel like you are in that plane experiencing that terror and exhilaration first hand. This segment cannot be over praised, it is that good. Another sequence in a bomber, where the plane experiences massive engine failure and crashes into the sea with the crew all on board is also very well done. The flashback segments on Zamperini's running career are also fine, the extended sequence depicting three airmen's time on a life raft floating in the middle of the Pacific ocean is well done. So far it's all good.

Then we get to the meat of the film, the prisoner of war scenes, and the film becomes a ponderous slog through torture and brutal beatings of the main character by an effeminate and sadistic Japanese captor. This is essentially the entire second half of the film, and it becomes monotonous and numbing.

The photography, sound , and music in this film were all award-caliber, and Jolie shows great promise as a mainstream director.

Lets just say I just saw a great movie about loyalty, courage, survival and redemption. Angelina Jolie has fantastic directing skills and its Oscar worthy. Jack O'Connell knocks his performance out of the park and he's proved himself with this great performance along with his performances in "Starred Up" and "'71". He embodies the characteristics of Louis Zamperini and the great wonderful life he lived. Jai Courtney had a small role, but really good surprisingly, can't wait to see him as Kyle Reese in next summer's Terminator reboot. The movie slowed at a point but picked it up and blew me away, O'Connell gives an Oscar worthy performance, but given the competition it's unlikely. Who cares though? This is one of 2014's best films and you'll see it at the Oscars I promise you that.