Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: Flags of Our Fathers is both a fascinating look at heroism, both earned and manufactured, and a well-filmed salute to the men who fought at the battle of Iwo Jima.
Flags of Our Fathers Videos & Photos
Movie Info
Clint Eastwood's adaptation of the non-fiction book Flags of Our Fathers concerns the lives of the men in the famous picture of soldiers raising the American flag over Iwo Jima during that historic WWII battle. Battle scenes are intercut with footage of three of the soldiers - played by Ryan Phillipe, Jesse Bradford, and Adam Beach -- who survived the battle going on a goodwill tour of the United States in order to sell war bonds. Many evening they are forced to reenact their famous pose, … More
| Rating: | R (for sequences of graphic war violence and carnage, and for language) |
| Genre: | Drama, Action & Adventure |
| Directed By: | Clint Eastwood |
| Written By: | William Broyles Jr., Paul Haggis, William Broyles |
| In Theaters: | Oct 20, 2006 Wide |
| On DVD: | Feb 6, 2007 |
| Box Office: | $33.6M |
| Runtime: |
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Cast
as John Bradley
as Rene Gagnon
as Ira Hayes
as Keyes Beech
as Bud Gerber
as Mike Strank
as Ralph Ignatowski
as Hank Hansen
as Belle Block
as Capt. Severance
as Pauline Harnois
as James Bradley
as Commandant Vandergri...
as Madeline Evelley
as Franklin Sousley
as Harlon Block
as Lindberg
as Lundsford
as Gus
as John Bradley
as Dave Severance
as Walter Gust
as Mr. Beech
as Ed Block
as Belle's Young Son
as Mother Gagnon
as Mrs. Sousley
as Mrs. Strank
as Mrs. Bradley
as President Harry S.Tr...
as Borough President
as Joe Rosenthal
as General `Howlin' Mad...
as Secretary Forrestal
as Major on Plane
as Bill Genaust
as Lieutenant Pennel
as Lieutenant Schrier
as Lieutenant Wells
as Louis Lowery
as Sergeant `Boots' Tho...
as Senator
as Senator
as John Tennack
as Businessman
as Local Politician
as Justice of the Peace
as Tourist
as Military Censor
as Tourist's Wife
as Young James Bradley
as Iggy's Mother
as Senator Boyd
as Senator Haddigan
as Senator Robson
as Waiter
as American Indian Cong...
as Luncheon Singer
as Luncheon Singer
as Luncheon Singer
as Luncheon Singer
as Luncheon Singer
as Jailer
as Navy Lieutenant on P...
as Nurse in Hawaii
as Tokyo Rose
as Funeral Home Employe...
as Police Sergeant
as Bartender
as Bar Car Beauty
as Bar Car Beauty
as Reporter in L.A.
as Reporter in L.A.
as Reporter in Chicago
as Reporter in Chicago
as Reporter in NYC
as Reporter at Hansen's
as Secretary
as Lab Tech
as Lab Tech
as Sergeant A. Company
as Sergeant on Beach
as Marine at Cave
as Marine on Beach
as Impaled Marine
as Wounded Marine
as Wounded Marine 4
as Marine in Shellhole
as Young Indian
as Lundsford
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LoginCritic Reviews for Flags of Our Fathers
All Critics (200) | Top Critics (52) | Fresh (139) | Rotten (52) | DVD (34)
Eastwood's two-film project is one of the most visionary of all efforts to depict the reality and meaning of battle.
Here, the feelings run very deep, and dark as dried blood, with Clint aware that some things don't need to be said and others shouldn't be shown.
Possibly the richest testament Hollywood has yet made about the paroxysm of World War II ... an astounding movie on every level, not the least of which is its common humanity.
Sequences fade into the pack and make it difficult to differentiate one player from the others, much less remember them after the lights go up.
A human-sized contemplation of propaganda and fame
The film strives mightily to make some sort of affecting emotional epic about a bit of history that it itself acknowledges is actually footnote-worthy.
Audience Reviews for Flags of Our Fathers
Mission Accomplished.
I thought it was pretty damn good. Sometimes Eastwood is most un-subtle, making his points two and three times over - but I was definitely caught up in the narrative of the reluctant "heroes". Neither the most original, nor the most coherent war movie: it feels like what it is - a Spielberg/Eastwood collaboration and there is a complete wtf? point-of-view change at the 3/4 mark.
Note: Like an idiot, I saw this film AFTER seeing Letters From Iwo Jima. I would recommend seeing Flags first, as it carries much of the exposition of the battle which I felt was missing in Letters.
Super Reviewer
The men who raised the flag over Mount Suribachi become part of the War Department's propaganda machine and are labeled heroes, much to their chagrin.
I have mixed feelings about this film. On the one hand, the concentration on using these soldiers' fame for the war effort is a unique and insightful way of telling this story. And Clint Eastwood's direction is superb, able to film battle sequences with a realism similar to Saving Private Ryan and to linger on disturbing images just long enough.
On the other hand, the film attempts to problematize the concept of heroism in war. The film's thesis is that the American public thought these men were symbols of American excellence - a reason to be proud of their country - but the men were too tortured by what they saw and did to find the label fitting. They claim that the true heroes were those who didn't survive and that they were just doing their jobs, fighting not for the country but for the man next to them. What bothers me is that this definition of heroism isn't new, and where the film seeks to problematize heroism, it inevitably retraces ground already covered by other films. Even For Whom the Bell Tolls offers a similar thesis. What is even more to the point is that Eastwood includes several scenes of intense battle sequences that display these men in the roles of traditional heroes. Thus, I think, the film ends up reproducing the stereotypes it attempts to complicate.
Overall, I think there are many good elements to Flags of Our Fathers, and I learned something about WWII, but I don't think the film accomplishes all it set out to do.
Super Reviewer
A true masterpiece this was. Flags of Our Fathers was nothing more than terrific. There were moments when we smiled, teared up, and were in shock. The war scenes were detailed and realistic. And the story was a true work of genius, I loved it. True, the movie was confusing at times but in the need it pulls through. A truly genius film.
Super Reviewer
Flags of Our Fathers Quotes
| Ira Hayes: | I can't take them calling me a hero. All I did was try not to get shot. |
| Dave Severance: | Looking at it you could believe the sacrifice was not a waste. |
| Dave Severance: | Most guys I knew won't even talk about what happened over there, probably because they're still trying to forget it. They certainly didn't think of themselves as heroes. |
| Ira Hayes: | We shouldn't be here, Doc. |
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