Unbroken

 

Today's review is of the 2014 movie, Unbroken. It's based on the 2010 book of the same name by Laura Hillenbrand.

Louis Zamperini is a troubled Italian-American youth. Things look up, though, when he discovers a talent for running- and he would ultimately compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. When America enters World War II, he joins the Army and becomes a bombadier. Their plane would crash on a search-and-rescue mission over the Pacific. He and a crew member would survive adrift at sea for 47 days before being captured by the Japanese and spending the remainder of the war in various prison camps, often mistreated especially by one prison guard known as "the Bird." Remember his brother's encouragement from youth- "you must take it to make it"- Louis pushes through and survives . . . unbroken. He would be freed after the war, return to America, and eventually dedicate his life to God, as he once promised to do.

The book was outstanding (I read it shortly after its release); the movie was okay. It remained true to the spirit (and much of the letter) of the book, but it didn't grab me emotionally like it should. I think it's hard to convey this type of story through film. How do you condense such unbelievable endurance- shown over years- into a 2-hour film? It's not easy.

The Rotten Tomatoes review that resonated the most with me:

Unbroken doesn't penetrate the surface of emotions, remaining a slightly detached, albeit respectful, representation of a potentially touching and inspiring true story. - Udita Jhunjhunwala

Read the book!

Rating: B-