Tension simmers between a tough-as-nails sergeant and the soldiers who he eventually leads into battle at Iwo Jima in this iconic World War II drama. John Wayne is very good as the moody sergeant with a beating human heart behind his tough exterior and John Agar is excellent as the private who clashes personalities with him the most. The son of a legendary military leader, Agar has to wrestle with the fact that he feels obliged to fight regardless of personal preference. He also has a touching scene in which he waxes poetic about marriage and fatherhood as ways to prove that one's life meant something. None of the other characters or performances are on the same level as Wayne and Agar (though Forrest Tucker has the occasional strong moment) and considering how blatantly flag-waving a film it is, it is understandable that 'Sands of Iwo Jima' might not appeal to some viewers. The two main characters have more dimension than the typical patriotic soldiers out there though, and the film is technically well produced. There are some great montages and gradual dissolves and the film seamlessly incorporates actual battle footage into the filmed action. With lots of zooms and tracking shots, the film is hardly static either. Some of the special effects (backdrops as Wayne drives along) show their age, but this stacks up rather well all things considered.
Review of Sands of Iwo Jima
