Unbroken
The true story of American Olympic runner Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell, Starred Up) who, having been sent to World War II, survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash only to be caught by the Japanese Navy and consigned to a prisoner-of-war camp. Directed by Angelina Jolie (her second feature after 2011's Bosnian War drama In The Land of Blood And Honey), co-written by the Coen brothers.
Zamperini serves as a bombardier in the Pacific theatre, raining destruction on Japanese military targets. Like many US servicemen, he has an interesting past, having overcome childhood criminality to excel at distance running, representing his country at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. When his plane goes down in remote ocean, Zamperini's athletic discipline helps him survive for a remarkably long time. But that test of endurance only leads to another when captured by the Japanese, where his status as an Olympian will earn him prolonged abuse at the hands of a sadistic prison camp boss (Japanese musician Miyavi).
- Director:
- Angelina Jolie ('In The Land of Blood And Honey')
- Writer:
- Ethan CoenJoel CoenRichard LaGraveneseWilliam Nicholson
- Cast:
- Jack O'ConnellGarrett HedlundDomhnall GleesonFinn WittrockAlex RussellJai CourtneyMiyavi
Reviews & comments
Variety
pressThe passionate commitment of all involved rarely achieving gut-level impact.
Total Film
pressJack O’Connell’s, wiry, indefatigable Zamperini holds your attention without effort.
Time Out
pressJolie has assembled an A-list team, but while her film is perfectly competent, it hardly dazzles.
The New York Times
pressWhat the movie ends up in desperate need of is a sense of life made real and palpable through dreadful, transporting details, not a life embalmed in hagiographic awe.
The Guardian
pressThough high-minded and well-intentioned, there’s something faintly stodgy and safety-first about the endeavour.
The Dissolve
pressUnbroken just piles on the misery without tonal shift, any sense of rise and fall, or any interest in Zamperini’s inner life...
Sydney Morning Herald
pressIt is a handsome film, bleak and dark and elegantly filmed told with a mixture of intensity and something like restraint, even distance.
Hollywood Reporter
pressA well acted and visualized, if not fully rendered, telling of a fine book and a great life.
A fantastic story of survival that is not served well by the way in which this tale is told. Over bloated and could have had thirty minutes carved off it.
Watched Unbroken at the movies - Directed by Angelina Jolie. My personal rating: 9/10 Worth every dollar to see this movie. Great film masterpiece, great casting and raw emotion & triumph to never give up. I can now say I am a huge fan of Jack O'Connell who leads the film as Louis Zamperini in this True Story.
Because this is based on true events it would have been tempting to over-emphasise just one aspect of this remarkable story. Instead the story reveals several remarkable events that make up the total and each part is shown well. The trailers possibly lead viewers to expect the whole story to unfold in the concentration camp but there is more to the events....
Credit where it's due. Jolie has made a war film as good as many. Plenty of drama and excitement with the usual extreme U.S. patriotism. It's easy to see why this film has caused consternation in Japan though. It's definitely an 'us against them' flick with the Japanese portrayed as the worst kind of monsters and the allied forces as the heroes of the...
I found it great watching. Love watching movies based on a true story. True heroic prisoners of war. We don't know how lucky we are.
This true story of bravery and courage needed to be told. The cruelty of Japanese prison camp after being lost in the ocean for 45 or so days were 2 big events that are portrayed plus the main characters talent at running all woven together. I thought it was a marvellous movie and the promise was made to God that he would serve HIm if he ever got through...
Variety
pressThe passionate commitment of all involved rarely achieving gut-level impact.
Total Film
pressJack O’Connell’s, wiry, indefatigable Zamperini holds your attention without effort.
Time Out
pressJolie has assembled an A-list team, but while her film is perfectly competent, it hardly dazzles.
The New York Times
pressWhat the movie ends up in desperate need of is a sense of life made real and palpable through dreadful, transporting details, not a life embalmed in hagiographic awe.
The Guardian
pressThough high-minded and well-intentioned, there’s something faintly stodgy and safety-first about the endeavour.
The Dissolve
pressUnbroken just piles on the misery without tonal shift, any sense of rise and fall, or any interest in Zamperini’s inner life...
Sydney Morning Herald
pressIt is a handsome film, bleak and dark and elegantly filmed told with a mixture of intensity and something like restraint, even distance.
Hollywood Reporter
pressA well acted and visualized, if not fully rendered, telling of a fine book and a great life.
A fantastic story of survival that is not served well by the way in which this tale is told. Over bloated and could have had thirty minutes carved off it.
Watched Unbroken at the movies - Directed by Angelina Jolie. My personal rating: 9/10 Worth every dollar to see this movie. Great film masterpiece, great casting and raw emotion & triumph to never give up. I can now say I am a huge fan of Jack O'Connell who leads the film as Louis Zamperini in this True Story.
Because this is based on true events it would have been tempting to over-emphasise just one aspect of this remarkable story. Instead the story reveals several remarkable events that make up the total and each part is shown well. The trailers possibly lead viewers to expect the whole story to unfold in the concentration camp but there is more to the...
Credit where it's due. Jolie has made a war film as good as many. Plenty of drama and excitement with the usual extreme U.S. patriotism. It's easy to see why this film has caused consternation in Japan though. It's definitely an 'us against them' flick with the Japanese portrayed as the worst kind of monsters and the allied forces as the heroes of the...
I found it great watching. Love watching movies based on a true story. True heroic prisoners of war. We don't know how lucky we are.
This true story of bravery and courage needed to be told. The cruelty of Japanese prison camp after being lost in the ocean for 45 or so days were 2 big events that are portrayed plus the main characters talent at running all woven together. I thought it was a marvellous movie and the promise was made to God that he would serve HIm if he ever got through...
Share