This movie was definitely one to show off the Blu-Ray format, but some corporate genius decided not to pay MS royalties for the use of VC-1, and they went with MPEG2 again on PH. Unless you have the sharpness dialed down on your set, or a 720p display blocking can be seen on this title pretty easily. If you're not sensitive to it then you're lucky. It comes through looking almost like a second layer of grain, but not the very fine grain of good film we're used to. I know some films are intentionally grainy, but rather than error diffusion (like real grain) this movie exhibits patterned grain. It is an artifact of MPEG2 block in motion.

Titles released on Blu-Ray in VC1 encoding have proven how much better they can look. Why won't they maximize the potential of the format already?

Much has been made of historical inaccuracies in this film, but what a viewer should consider is whether they want to be entertained or given a history lesson. There are wonderful documenteries that will give the "true" story, this film is aimed at being an entertainment with a historical background and on that level it is tremendously successful. In a program on the History Channel, "History VS Hollywood", two historians pointed out the flaws, but came to the conclusion that it is basically "history". If nothing else the film illustrates an important event that many in today's audiences really do not know anything about. For this reason alone, it is an important film.
Critics have been hard on the love story that takes up the opening section. This part of the film is really necessary as it puts a human face on the horrible attack and the subsequent bomber raid on Japan. Yes, it is a typical "lovers seperated by war, brought together by tragedy" script, but it is very well done. Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale and Josh Hartnett are excellent and moving as the three caught in a situation they never wanted. Their story is much more involving and believable than the romance that James Cameron forced on "Titanic".
A number of actors who usually star in other films are used to advantage in smaller roles. Alec Baldwin is an excellent "Jimmy Doolittle". It is amazing that on a recent talk show, the host, in her late 30s, did not know who Doolittle was (an example of why this film is important in bringing history to the younger audiences). Jon Voight is a wonderful President Roosevelt. Cuba Gooding, Jr. in a very small, but important role, is a standout.Read more ›

This movie is very enjoyable in plot and special effects. But, unfortunately the video transfer was poorly done in Blu-ray. If you already have standard DVD version, save your money.

To all the complainers: This is a movie made to entertain the people watching it. It is not a DOCUMENTARY, so some parts may be exaggerated and not exactly accurate from a historical standpoint, however it is an enjoyable film with a good story line and lots of action.

The Vista Series has released the biggest and greatest DVD package ever assembled with "Pearl Harbor- The Director's Cut." The new 184 Minute cut is edited better. The attack sequence is more realistic and graphic, the reason for this cut's R-rating. And the four-disc set features hours of behind-the-scenes footage, two documentaries on the real attack and the Doolittle Raid, and commentary tracks from Michael Bay and Janine Basinger; Jerry Brucheimer, Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Alec Baldwin; The Director of Photography, Costume Designer, Visual Effects Supervisor and Composer. A great addition to the DVD collection. And if you think this is good, then get ready for the November release of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring- The Director's Edition" four-disc set! Movie Grade: A+; DVD Grade: A+

The only thing that saves this movie from being a complete waste of time is the attack itself. That entire sequence is harrowing and a very tough watch. Kudos to the Special Effects people. It was as if history came alive. However, the tremendous carnage and bloodshed displayed here I'm quite sure paled in comparison to the real thing, and that realization saddened me even further. I couldn't help but think that all those brave souls didn't stand a chance. Thanks to the Military Industrial Complex, they weren't given the opportunity to defend themselves, and they went down fighting the best they could.

As for the rest of the movie, the makers thought they could use the love-triangle formula from Titanic, and in that respect they fail miserably. The moment that first bomb landed in Pearl Harbor, everything else was rendered meaningless. All of a sudden, the problems of three people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, yet I'm supposed to still care about these people and their pitiful concerns.

I could more than tolerate Kate Beckinsale. She did an admirable job, and the horror and disbelief he displayed when the victims started rolling in after the attack began was probably not too far off from what the real-life nurses demonstrated that day. She was very much in the moment. While I thought that Ben Affleck was excellent in Argo, he brought nothing here. I think he's come a long way since this mess. In what was supposed to be his big "breakout" role, Josh Hartnett exhibited a range similar to that of wallpaper.

Aside from the attack, the other reason I don't despise this film with every fiber of my being is that I saw this for $6.50 at a matinee. For some reason, that made the whole experience less painful.