Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor is an attempt at an epic which, like "Titanic", captures both individual human destinies and the grand sweep of history. It fails, for this Jerry Bruckheimer production wants too much - and too little.

The protagonists Danny and Rafe are childhood friends, and by 1941 they have both become pilots in the air force. Rafe has volunteered to fly for the Royal Air Force in England, but just before he is due to leave, he falls in love with Evelyn, who is a navy nurse. Rafe is shot down over the Channel during a sortie and is reported dead. Danny and Evelyn are now both stationed at Pearl Harbor, where Danny brings Evelyn the tragic news. Both are deeply grief-stricken over Rafe's death, but in an attempt to move on with their lives they find each other.

Then Rafe unexpectedly turns up again. He has miraculously survived, but when he comes back, things have undeniably changed. This melodramatic and rather contrived love story is interrupted, however, by the sudden attack on Pearl Harbor, which lasts just short of three quarters of an hour. This interminable sequence is tiresome and in no way fits the film's narrative rhythm, but worse is the closing counter-attack on Tokyo. It is a rather artificial attempt to give the Americans victory, and thus the film a happy ending, while the romantic love triangle is wrapped up in a very predictable way.

Pearl Harbor ends with a dose of patriotic drivel of the very worst kind, which can only make you cringe. Americans may be able to swallow it, but hardly anyone else.