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What is a hero?
As the American marines land on Iwo Jima and make their way up the beaches on foot, the camera switches to the point of view of the entrenched Japanese soldiers quietly preparing to open fire. It is a gripping scene that makes the film worth watching just for those few minutes alone. The government’s exploitation of three surviving soldiers who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima in 1945 - when that iconic photograph was taken - makes an interesting story, but I found the long battle scenes difficult to follow as it was hard to tell the characters apart. Consequently when particular marines were talked about in later scenes it was impossible to put a face to the name. Perhaps that doesn’t matter. The difference between a soldier’s concept of a hero and that of their families and politicians back home was made clear and that seems to be the message the film is putting across.
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