Letters From Iwo Jima (Blu-ray Disc, 2007)

This film was superbly done and I agree that it was much better than 'Flags of Our Fathers.' It flowed much better and you actually get to know some of the characters. It's definitely a just tribute to those Japanese soldiers who defended that doomed island and did their duty just like our boys did theirs. Sure there's the significant cultural differences, and you can argue that they started the war, but once those bullets start flying, we all feel the same fear and bleed the same blood. Foot soldiers don't start wars, and only the hardest of hearts could watch this and not feel sympathy for these young men. Another reviewer called this an "anti-bushido" movie and I think there is some truth to that. One of the recurring themes seems to be the contrast between the common soldier who just wants to survive, and the hardcore bushido officers who believe in nothing less than death before dishonor. Personally, there's a part of me that sympathizes with the whole honor-driven samurai tradition, but I can see how many regard it as primitive and senseless. The cave scene with the grenades comes to mind. I also have to say that the score is one of the most touching I've heard in awhile also. The main theme is one of those pieces that tears at your heart. All in all, this will go down as one of Clint Eastwood's finest achievements.

Pros: I first saw the movie on television and enjoyed it a lot. It was interesting because it shows you the Japanese side of the fight and it sticks to it very well. The movie is not just another war movie that leaves you feeling grossed out or disturbed; the plot and action work together to keep you interested.

Cons: when I saw it on TV it was the "dubbed" English version so you didn't have to read the subtitles for the whole movie(because the actors talk in Japanese and the subtitles are English), but the blu-ray does not have the "English" version.

LFIJ is the elite story of the Japanese War. Clint Eastwood can never direct a bad movie. This war movie is portrayed with passion, with honor and with friendship. The action was entertaining as well as the compromises between the two sides. One of the best war movies had to be seen on 1080p.

The product was in the condition it was advertised and the transaction was quick. I'm very happy with my purchase.

I initially rented this movie as a companion to Flags of Our Father's. Letters from Iwo Jima was by far the better movie. At first I was not ecstatic about having to read the English subtitles throughout the entire movie, but when all was said and done I thought it added a sense of credibility and realism to the film that would have been lost if the Japanese actors had been speaking in English or if it had been dubbed as such. It was a very good perspective from the Japanese side of the battle and it drew you into the sense of doom and despair the characters were experiencing. I liked the film so much I purchased it on E-Bay. I don't own too many DVD's or Blu-Ray disks, so the fact that I bought it speaks volumes for how much I enjoyed the movie.