Flags of our Fathers

I went to see "Flags of our Fathers" last night.

All the usual talk show hosts have been raving about it all week, including conservative movie critic Michael Medved.

Here is his assessment from his website:

"Flags of our Fathers is a moving, eloquent, powerfully-acted epic with gripping combat scenes and a powerful message about the inevitable exploitation of young men in combat. There are some challenges, however, in keeping the characters straight and following the complex scheme of flashbacks and flash forwards. Rated R for bloody scenes of battlefield violence and lots of harsh language"

My own reaction was a little different. First of all, what was so "powerful" about the message? If, by this sentence, Medved means the movie shows us that sometimes we have to engage in propaganda in order to win a just war, I could buy that. The message it sends is "look at the disgusting dog and pony show they put these boys through. Shame on them." It comes through OVER and OVER again. In fact, I am pretty sure based on the comments by the people seated around me, that is EXACTLY what message came through.

WWII was no joke. Of all the wars we have faught, it is the toughest one to find fault with. It was the right thing to do--we saved the world. Getting the American people excited in this way was a small price to pay to stop imperialism.

At least with "Saving Private Ryan" the message was a little more pro-America. It was "everyone of us Americans who has lived in freedom since WWII should be earning the right to live in this great country every day." Private Ryan was a metaphor for every one of us. Remember when Tom Hanks character was about to die and said to Ryan "earn this?"

Anyway, I wasn't surprised. The preview trailers gave it away.