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Plot Summary
Review
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Hello, Movie Buffs!
Unbroken (2014) is the heartbreaking and inspiring true story told and directed with realism and heart. We see the skies raining down bombs and a sea full of sharks, some people are merciless while others kind. But throughout all of the pain and suffering, there is Zamperini with is mantra/message, "If you can take it, you can make it." The direction (Angelina Jolie) and cinematography (Roger Deakins) were superb but in a subtle way. The story, based off the book of the same name by Laura Hillenbrand, is a great bit of a history as it is co-written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (Down from the Mountain). There are two ways you can approach this film.
The first is through Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell) – an Olympic track athlete that become a POW in Japan - and his true story as he manages to endure and survive unimaginable suffering and hardships. He suffers pain and torture at the pleaser of his sadistic and narcissistic torturer. Torturers are everyday people who are deeply frustrated and/or alienated because they are being denied from doing what they want to do, as a result they are viewed as failures; by themselves or society. So they choose to take advantage of and vengeance on the people who are under their care, their attention is mostly focused on the people who are not failures and by doing so they feel that they are getting even with those who dared to be better than him or attempt to achieve their goals. This is why Zamperini is continually targeted by his captor, not only is he an American but he is not a failure and considering what he has to live for it is no surprise that he remained unbroken. The second approach is in the obvious distance between the film and WWII. The film views the war as an event that happened a long time ago and instead focuses on how Zamperini process what happens to him. Sure he could be bitter and vengeful, punish those who hurt him simply for being who he is but he quickly realizes that it is an absorbed and insane idea. The first approach is not very interesting but the second approach is interesting. Nobody wants to be admired or remembered for all the suffering they had to go through but what is admirable is their ability to forgive those who wronged and hurt them.
Unbroken clearly demonstrates strength inside of oneself as well as a strength that determine whether we forgive them afterwards. This is the kind of strength that enables someone who is unjustly convicted of a crime he did not commit, to be strong enough to survive as long as possible and then submit to the final ordeal with dignity and honor. ***SMAL SPOIL***The final image of his captor’s personal room, who upon fleeing left behind a picture of himself as an infant with his father. A picture he should have cherished was left behind because he could not face the fact that he let his father down. I say this because the captor knew that he would have done what he did to Zamperini to his father if the situation required it. He realized that he had betrayed his father’s trust, faith, and hope in him, which is one of defeats worst punishments. ***END***
Overall, Unbroken (2014) is a beautifully acted, wonderfully designed, and superbly directed film. At times it is hard to take in because of the brutality and the personal violence. The portrayal of the Japanese camps is truly cruel but at the same time, one must understand that even though the Japanese did some cruel things during WWII they were not evil. Many of them were forced either through drafts or reverse psychology from friends and/or family. One cannot deny that the strong scenes are the most touching and admiring ones to watch. Louis Zamperini was a hero and role model, albeit unintentional, in a number of ways and his journey is amazing to watch.
“Who is the Olympic Athlete?”
- Watanabe
Final Vote
Worth Seeing: 5 of 5 star
Worth Buying: 5 of 5 stars
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Movies Similar
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Atonement (2007)
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Fury (2014)
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Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Pearl Harbor (2001)
Race (2016)
Red Tails (2012)
Silence (2017)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Valkyrie (2008)
Cast & Crew
Directed by Angelina Jolie
Writing Credits
(Screenplay) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese, and William Nicholson.
(Book) Laura Hillenbrand
Produced by
Matthew Baer --- producer
Mick Garris --- executive producer
Holly Goline --- co-producer
Jon Jashni --- executive producer
Angelina Jolie --- producer
Joseph P. Reidy --- co-producer
Erwin Stoff --- producer
Clayton Townsend --- producer
Thomas Tull --- executive producer
Michael Vieira --- co-producer
Nathan Wiley --- producer: bts
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography by Roger Deakins
Film Editing by William Goldenberg and Tim Squyres
Production Design by Jon Hutman
Cast
Jack O'Connell --- Louis Zamperini
Domhnall Gleeson --- Phil
Garrett Hedlund --- Fitzgerald
Miyavi --- Watanabe
Finn Wittrock --- Mac
Jai Courtney --- Cup
Maddalena Ischiale --- Louise
Vincenzo Amato --- Anthony
John Magaro --- Tinker
Luke Treadaway --- Miller
Louis McIntosh --- Harris
Ross Anderson --- Blackie
C.J. Valleroy --- Young Louie
John D'Leo --- Young Pete
Alex Russell --- Older Pete
Jordan Patrick Smith --- Clift
Spencer Rocco Lofranco --- Harry Brooks
Stephen J. Douglas --- Clarence Douglas
Marcus Vanco --- Lambert
Ryan Ahern --- Glassman
Ross Langley --- Mitchell
Michael Whalley --- Stan Pillsbury
Anthony Phelan --- Priest
David Roberts --- Officer Collier
Sandy Winton --- Coach
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