Letters From Iwo Jima(2007) earns high praise from a historian, who commends director Clint Eastwood’s approach to capturing the conflict on film. Written by Iris Yamashita, Paul Haggis, and Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Eastwood’sWorld War II filmchronicles the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese commander and his forces defending the titular island. The film serves as a companion film to Eastwood’sFlags of Our Fathers(2006), which depicts the same battle but from an American perspective.
In a recent video forInsider,historian John McManus analyzes select scenes fromLetters From Iwo Jima, awarding the film a strong grade of nine out of 10. According to McManus, the film accurately portrays elements of the battle, including the extensive Japanese tunnel system on the island, the weapons and fortifications they used, and actual military machine gun shooting techniques. What makesLetters From Iwo Jimaparticularly special, however, McManus explains, is the fact that it couples so nicely withFlags of Our Fathers. Check out a selection of his analysis or watch the video below:
“I’m giving it a nine out of 10. What makes Flags of our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima kind of special is I don’t know any other circumstance with a movie that sort of portrays both sides in two different films, that has this sort of companion piece that you can watch both of them and you can really get a good sense of what that battle was from both points of view.”
What Clint Eastwood’s Companion Films Mean For His Depiction Of Iwo Jima
How Flags Of Our Fathers Compares To Letters From Iwo Jima
As McManus explains, whatLetters From Iwo JimaandFlags of Our Fathersaccomplish is more or less unprecedented in the entertainment landscape, at least on a large Hollywood level.Flags of Our Fathershit theaters first in October 2006 withLetters From Iwo Jimathen receiving a limited release in December before going wide in February 2007. The former film was a financial disappointment despite generally positive reviews, butLetters From Iwo Jimafared better in both respects, earning a glowing critical response and performing better relative to its budget at the box office.
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DespiteFlags of Our Fathersunderwhelming commercially, the two films manage to paint a very full and accurate picture of the Battle of Iwo Jima, which took place in 1945 from February 19 to March 26. In the same video above,Flags of Our Fathersearned a 10 out of 10, meaning both films offer up plenty of historical authenticity.
Eastwood directed another war moviewithAmerican Sniper(2014), which depicts the Iraq War.
Most Hollywood war films depict wartime conflicts from an American perspective, because this is obviously what American audiences are most interested in seeing. Telling such stories from an American perspective, however, means that enemy forces usually end up being nameless canon fodder.Letters From Iwo Jimahumanizes General Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) and his forces, and it makes Eastwood’s larger depiction of the conflict feel far more full and thoughtful.
Our Take On Letters From Iwo Jima’s Historical Accuracy
Why The Eastwood Film Is Worth Celebrating
Though both of Eastwood’s Battle of Iwo Jima films are praiseworthy, I’ve always preferredLetters From Iwo Jima. The movie arguably works more strongly on an emotional and character level, especially due to Watanabe’s strong performance as General Kuribayashi.
The film was generally more enlightening from an educational perspective, as well, because the Japanese approach to combat during the Battle of Iwo Jima and World War II in general is very different from the Allied approach. Eastwood’s commitment to historical authenticity on both sides of the conflict is commendable and both films together remain a stunning achievement.
Letters from Iwo Jima
Cast
Letters from Iwo Jima, directed by Clint Eastwood, offers a unique perspective on the World War II battle for Iwo Jima, depicting the struggle from the viewpoint of Japanese soldiers. Released in 2006, the film serves as a companion piece to Flags of Our Fathers, highlighting different wartime experiences.
