Well folks, I've been getting tons of reviews on PEARL HARBOR today from that test screening last night in DENVER. Seems that the film was screened on a magnificiently huge screen in the Mile High City and Michael and Jerry were there in attendence. There hasn't been a bad review in yet, there have been films that had smaller problems with the movie, but then that's why they hold test screenings.... to find the smaller problems (or even the bigger problems) and fix them before they've struck 3000 prints and put em in theaters worldwide. Our first review comes from Wild Man Jones... and just so you know, I'm going through these and making sure that any key life and death spoilers are removed... sure you know what happened at Pearl Harbor... but this film has more going on than that... if you don't want to know what, then click away with the knowledge that at this point in the filmmaking process, Michael Bay seems to be on the right track!
Harry,
I caught Pearl Harbor last night also and actually got a glimpse of Bruckheimer and Bay, they both were there. The movie rocks. Some of the digital effects were incomplete, but the ones that were, were the best ever put on celluloid. Josh Harnett actually does a good job, Affleck isn't too bad either. Bay uses some filters on his lenses during some hospital scenes, but for the most part it'll work. Spud from Trainspotting steals the movie with his role as a stuttering scmuck. Jon Voight also is great as the President, he'll get his nod next February. Some scenes seem right out of Armegeddon, like when the president annouces the country, but it still works. Planet of the Apes has it's work cut out for this summer.
Wild Man Jones
Next up we have Kalyan....
I was in Denver visiting family when we were lucky enough to attend a screening of Pearl Harbor!!!!
I was jazzed for it as I have been waiting to see this film for quite sometime.
Anyways they seem to structure the film similar to TITANIC. The first part of the film dealt with the interrelationships of the characters. Shots and feel of the film screamed Armamgeddon...at least in the beggining but I think the writer established Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett's characters very well. The film was extremely well shot though, and when the second hour comes look out!!!
The second hour was just amazing, some the best moments in cinema for me since HEAT or SCHINDLER'S LIST. There are some scenes with Japanese planning the attack as well and those were done well. Cuba Gooding Jr.....words fail me. For someone who was barely in the film I still think about his performance. The guy is amazing. I am not a fan of his silly antics off screen, but the guy can act his ass off. Here's hoping the Academy remembers his performance. These sequences were almost exhausting but the battles and sheer epic scope of the attack is something people will be talking about.
At about hour number three, we see John Voight as FDR and he does well. But very little insight into that character was given, and I don't blame them. Basically the 3rd hour deals with the revenge on the Japanese with Alec Baldwin and the ending was well done and even a bit sad. I won't give anything away there.
All in all, Michael Bay has finally made a good film. I am interesting to see what else he comes up with down the road. I think Pearl Harbor will win best picture for 2001.
Kalyan
And now we go to Virgil Hilts...
Hey Harry,
I've been a fan of your site for years, and am happy to finally be able to contribute a scoop. Last night I saw the rough cut of Pearl Harbor at Denver's Continental Theater. This is the best theater in Denver to see big summer movies, so it's fitting that it was chosen for this screening.
Before I start the review let me say that if you liked The Rock and Armageddon you will like Pearl Harbor. If you hate Michael Bay, you will still hate him. However, I do think he deserves a lot of credit for the masterful way that the attack on Pearl Harbor was filmed. It was gripping and you feel like you're right in the middle of the action.
I loved this movie. It will not win best picture next year, but so what? It was a very entertaining big summer popcorn movie. The attack on Pearl Harbor was gripping, and masterfully recreated. The love story is as light and fluffy as in Armageddon, but all three leads were very likeable. I am happy to report that Michael Bay did not use as much rapid fire editing as in his previous movies. There were many of his signature shots, like on the morning of the attack, there were little girls in angel costumes out in the yard dancing around when the Japanese planes whiz by.
There were a couple things I disliked right away, but I don't have any major complaints after the first ten minutes They need to cut Danny's dad from the opening sequence. This bit is very heavy handed in trying to establish the bond between Danny (Hartnett) and Rafe (Affleck). After this scene, the time shifts to 1941. We meet the adult Danny and Rafe playing chicken in fighter planes in a scene that is way too Top Gun, but the audience seemed to like it.
After these first ten minutes, I have no complaints. I liked the character development during the first hour, and the attack on Pearl Harbor was incredibly well done.
The movie clocked in at about 2:52 without credits. I don't think they need to cut more than 5-10 minutes tops. The picture wasn't completely color timed, and a few effects were either still in animated form, or not completely finished. I can't wait to see the completed shot where a torpedo is dropped from a plane and we follow it into the water and towards a battle ship. A lot of the effects were very close to complete, and quite impressive.
Regarding the fuzzy hospital scenes referenced by the Patriot, I think that was done to get the movie a PG-13. You could tell what was going on, but weren't overwhelmed by the gore.
After the screening, my girlfriend and I were chosen to participate in the focus group. There were twenty or so people chosen to participate. Overall, everyone loved the movie. There were only a couple of very minor complaints about things that needed tweaking. Eleven rated it excellent. Nine rated it very good. Two rated it as good. No one disliked it. Mr. Bruckheimer and Mr. Bay (and a bunch of suits) sat two rows behind us and listened to our comments. Evidently they liked our comments, as Mr. Bruckheimer gave someone a hug and they all seemed very pleased. I wish I could have congratulated Michael Bay on not using his rapid fire editing on this movie, but he darted out of the theater as soon as the focus group ended.
I can't wait to see the final version of this movie. I think it could be released without cutting anything and it would still be very enjoyable.
Thanks for running such a great site. If you use this, call me Virgil Hilts.
And the review that had the most problems with the film I've received thus far... belongs to Sir William... a reel ripper... This review is filled with Spoilers... I left them in as they are integral to the reviewers problems with the film, so I can't take em out... HOWEVER, if you want to go into the film without the knowledge of what is around each corner.... skip this one and we'll talk later about the film. This is EXTREMELY SPOILER HEAVY
Dear Boss,
Sorry about the anonymity and odd writing style stuff, but you have to do such things when you've signed a confidentiality agreement to see a movie I would think. Don't want to get fixed by the studio. I received a call from a friend recently about going to a free showing of a movie. We were all sure that it would be a test audience for some summer feature so we were all jazzed. (Though she was less so when standing line in the cold.) The line at Continental Theater was just huge, everyone else had heard about this as well. But we were able to get into the showing, though just barely. We ended up sitting in the very front row... Good thing my neck is young an' flexible.
So there we were watching Pearl Harbor, the Bay and Bruckheimer film. Interesting piece, though the special effects and music were not done it will probably be halfway decent. Though not a movie for people who don't like mildly jingoistic war movies with love triangles. You see the main character Rafe (indifferently acted by Ben Affleck, he's not bad, but he did not do a stand out job either) went off to England to fly with the Eagle Squad. And he goes down in the channel, but of course he survived. Picked up by French fishermen.
Meanwhile back at Pearl Harbor everyone thinks he's dead and his best friend starts falling in love with his girlfriend, Evelyn. Predictably just as she discovers she is pregnant guess who shows up? Rafe. (We thought he was dead up until this point. Honest. Yeah right.) The usual knock down drag out fight in a bar followed up by the morning raid on Pearl Harbor.
Our heroes get their planes off the ground and using unorthodox flying they kill off seven enemy fighters! And are apparently the only two planes to get off the ground that day. Then they go on the Doolittle raid of Tokyo. (HARRY NOTE: GOT RID OF BIG SPOILER BECAUSE I'M NOT A BASTARD)
This may sound like I hated it, but that's not the case. The cool stuff
was able to overcome what I didn't like. I just wish the fat could have
been cut off, though I suppose that is what we are for, eh? Also at
least with this copy it was a bit too loud for long sequences. I should
have brought ear plugs.
The good:
The recreation of the Pear Harbor Attack
The Scenes of the Japanese Planning the Attack (surprisingly fair and immensely cool looking. There was this one with them putting models down in a concrete pool to decide things that just looked great.)
A lot of the flying sequences (Somewhat unrealistic and the repeat of the "let's play chicken" sequence from the start is predictable, but over all the flying was sharp.)
Most of the Doolittle Raid (The end was a bit overwrought)
The recreation of the 1940's. Great sets! Just fantastic, and probably not easy given the changes to Hawaii over the years.
Dan Aykroyd as Capt. Thurman, he does a good job in a very small part.
The Bad (currently and could change):
The voice over sum up at the end. So boring. They don't do what happened to the characters later, it is more hack sentiments about how this test of fire... blah blah... We survived.. blah blah...
The overly dramatic Roosevelt Standing up to shame the cabinet scene. "Don't tell me what can't be done!"
The predictable results of the romantic triangle
Also the death of the secondary character's love interest. ( Doolittle played by Alec Baldwin... Just bad. Worst actor in the movie.
Fishing blood stained flag out of the water and saving the dog. Ag!
The MTV cut and blurred picture bits in the hospital went on just a little too long. A minute or two shorter would have had the same impact in my opinion, but what do I know?
Well lets hope they get some good music. It could move the film from just entertaining to good in the final cut.
From Hell,
Sir William
