The director, Clint Eastwood, had a seemingly insurmountable task; capture the story of the American
soldiers at Iwo Jima, who raised the flag that became a symbol of America’s fortitude AND tell the story
of the Japanese soldiers who defended that island and lost their lives in the process. He wisely
decided to split these competing yet complementary stories into two films; Letters from Iwo Jima
becoming the Japanese side of the story. Letters follows the Japanese military unit assigned to defend
the island at all costs, specifically focusing on a general assigned to coordinate the defense and an
inexperienced soldier, caught in the ensuing melee. Eastwood takes his time in telling this somber
story, capturing both the humanity in some men and the blind obedience to orders in others.
The story was translated from English to Japanese, and is therefore subtitled, giving the film an
authentic feel of what transpired over those 35 days. General Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe; “The Last
Samurai”), comes to the island before the American attack, to take over command and make the necessary
preparations. He runs into short-sighted, militarily entrenched ideas on how to defend the island, from
amongst his officers. He decides to tunnel under the island, creating caves and passageways, to hide
his men from the enemy, giving them a better chance to strike against the onrushing Americans. The
inexperienced soldier, Saigo, helps to dispel many myths about the Japanese held by the Americans during
the war and afterwards.
Eastwood tries to express in the film, the Japanese held belief of what honor is, which transforms
throughout the movie, depending on who is shown and what the specific situation is. He seems to
succeed, even though at times, the cultural beliefs expressed in the film can be difficult to understand
for an American audience. There are some universal truths, like wanting to get home alive to one’s
family, that does shine through in both Letters and Flags of Our Fathers. Hearing the narrative
expressed to the audience in letters written home from the island, letters that may never be read, is
moving.
A melancholy film, much more time is spent in waiting for combat than in actual fighting. Though a more
tightly told story, the lingering and preparing of the soldiers makes Letters not as entertaining and
epic as Flags of Our Fathers. Ultimately, while Flags is about who heroes are and what makes a hero,
Letters takes the more abstract approach of defining honor and what it means to each soldier. While the
story is beautifully expressed in its images, which go beyond words, and in its touching finale, it does
not quite reach the cinematic highs of Flags. Letters from Iwo Jima is an enlightening experience for
its audience, which should be watched in conjunction with its companion piece, Flags of Our Fathers, to
better comprehend both sides of the battle. Currently showing at Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville,
and hopefully coming to Bangor soon.
4 out of 5