# 'Pearl Harbor' is going to suck... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 17, 2001, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771 "2001-05-17T23:46:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2001, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/61 "2001-05-25T18:18:39Z")
Robert Wilonsky, film critic for _New Times L.A._, calls the movie [“war porn.”](http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/2001-05-24/film.html) He calls it a cross between _Top Gun_ and _Armageddon_, both Bruckheimer films. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2001, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/62 "2001-05-25T21:48:31Z")
I just read the reviews of Pearl Harbor in the Newspaper Some of Iowa Depends On. Apparently the L.A. Times gushed about it (Jab 1’s post notwithstanding) but Ebert said that the movie was targeted at an audience that had never heard of Pearl Harbor, and maybe never heard of World Was Two. Once you get past the idea that most movies a really moving comic books, the movie might not be all that bad. As for me, give Me Tora, Tora, Tora for a shot-'em-up, and From Here to Eternity for a war time romance. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/63 "2001-05-25T22:57:46Z")
[_New Times L. A._](http://www.newtimesla.com) and the Los Angeles [_Times_](http://www.latimes.com) are two VERY different newspapers. The _Times_ is a mainstream daily; _New Times_ is a free weekly, much like the Chicago _Reader._ ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/64 "2001-05-26T00:24:35Z")
Well, the reviews I’ve heard have been mixed, but generally negative. First off, it’s three hours long. According to what I’ve heard, there’s a section of about 45 minutes in the middle that’s worth watching. The rest is formulaic, cheesy, and very poorly written. Hmmm. Sounds like _Titanic_ to me. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/65 "2001-05-26T05:02:47Z")
I can’t believe the _Los Angeles Times_ gave this movie a glowing review. I’m (temporarily) embarassed to be an Angelino. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/66 "2001-05-26T05:33:19Z")
DKW… _Pearl Harbor_ cost $140 million to make. [http://www.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/24/pearl.harbor.clinton/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/24/pearl.harbor.clinton/index.html) Just thought you’d wanna know. ---
**Author:** ![Pammipoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/87869e/32.png) [@Pammipoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pammipoo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/67 "2001-05-26T07:56:31Z")
I saw it tonight, and it was actually pretty good. Long and drawn out, but it had a lot of explosions. And with hot guys…yum. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/68 "2001-05-26T08:40:25Z")
This ran on the front page of today’s paper: [‘Pearl Harbor’ fails to hit critical targets](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2001/May/25/ln/ln02a.html) And in case you’re wondering about this concluding passage, > [@](#): > > As for us, we’re still trying to forget our glimpse during a “Pearl Harbor” media screening last week of the morning sun of Dec. 7, 1941, rising … over the Wai’anae mountain range. the Wai’anae mountain range lies on the western end of the island. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/69 "2001-05-26T11:05:58Z")
> [@](#): > > the Wai’anae mountain range lies on the western end of the island. Oh, please… what with tectonic shifting and all, who knows where the mountains coulda been all that time ago? ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/70 "2001-05-26T19:06:37Z")
Saw it last night (nothing like getting tickets in advance to get you a date), and enjoyed it. It was typical Bruckheimer/Bay movie though. Lots of eye candy, bass heavy explosions, etc., and fast (often poorly cut) action, but little substance. So, as with most of his films (_Armageddon_ being one hell of an exception), I liked it, but didn’t think it was all that good. You want to talk about enjoying bad movies, **SPOOFE**? Well, not only did I love _From Dusk Til Dawn_, but I was also quite amused by _Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight_. Top that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/71 "2001-05-26T19:19:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > > > [@](#): > > > > we’re still trying to forget our glimpse during a “Pearl Harbor” media screening last week of the morning sun of Dec. 7, 1941, rising … over the Wai’anae mountain range. > > \*\*The Wai’anae mountain range lies on the western end of the island. \*\* Maybe this is a tribute to John Wayne’s _The Green Berets_, which concluded with a shot of the Sun setting in the east. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/72 "2001-05-26T19:24:46Z")
I should also add one of my favorite details of the movie. On the Japanese flagship, they tear off the December 6 page of the calendar to show the December 7 date. Top right of the page of the calendar, the date written in Japanese, the rest of the calendar reads, from top to bottom, ‘December 7’ and ‘Saturday’ **in English**. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/73 "2001-05-26T20:59:35Z")
Sigh, I’m going to see this thing tonight and from all I’ve heard, I’m not going to enjoy it. **Hate** most Bruckheimer excretions, but have found one or two to be okay (Not _ **Armageddon** _ though!). I’ll just get realy hammered before the movie starts and maybe that’ll help dull the pain. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/74 "2001-05-26T21:02:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Sigh, I’m going to see this thing tonight and from all I’ve heard, I’m not going to enjoy it. **Hate** most Bruckheimer excretions, but have found one or two to be okay (Not _ **Armageddon** _ though!). I’ll just get realy hammered before the movie starts and maybe that’ll help dull the pain. \*\* Dammit! Make that REALLY hammered. I haven’t started drinking yet. The ONE post I don’t bother to preview! Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/75 "2001-05-27T00:00:43Z")
Personally, I wish I’d left after the _Lord of the Rings_ trailer. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![PlanMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/76 "2001-05-27T02:02:57Z")
PlanDaughter saw it today. Says watch the number of stars on the flags (both in crowd scenes and one of the big flags in the background), listen to a radio speech (after FDR’s) about the State of Hawaii, and don’t YOU play baseball at 7 in the AM? and of the 29 downed Japaneese planes our hero got 7 himself? PlanDaughter graduated high school today!!! ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/77 "2001-05-27T03:46:05Z")
_True Lies was a great movie._ I just saw Pearl Harbor. Expected it to suck. I liked it much more than I thought I would. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/78 "2001-05-27T05:58:23Z")
OK, just to let you all know, we saw it tonight. Enjoyed the hell out of it, too. Sure, it’s not a historical documentary, but then again it wasn’t intended to be. It was a very enjoyable movie, and really gave a sense of the trauma and the emotional impact of being there during the attack. A few of the scenes actually made me choke up and almost cry. The love story was…well…a love story inserted into an action movie. Typical fare, and fairly predictable. But the important thing is that seeing this film DID make me want to run right out and buy At Dawn We Slept, and I’ve already read it twice. The surprising thing is that many people aren’t even aware of what actually took place…only that there was a war and some stuff happened. So the Braveheart effect should really take hold here and make people want to learn more about it. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/79 "2001-05-27T06:07:40Z")
KK… > [@](#): > > You want to talk about enjoying bad movies, SPOOFE? Well, not only did I love From Dusk Til Dawn, but I was also quite amused by Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight. Top that. Sure. I liked _Cutthroat Island_, the biggest box office bomb in history. Game, set, match. 😃 PlanMan… > [@](#): > > and of the 29 downed Japaneese planes our hero got 7 himself? Didn’t you ever play games like Wing Commander or X-wing? Of COURSE the main character always gets the majority of the kills! ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771/80 "2001-05-27T14:34:21Z")
“our hero got 7 himself” Who gets official credit for the “chicken” kills? That whole sequence had a “Star Wars” feel to it. I have to admit I enjoyed it, as entertainment, but it was definitely out of bounds for a movie with “historical” character. More in line with an episode of “Black Sheep Squadron”, maybe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-is-going-to-suck/65771.md?page=5)