Why is Pearl Harbor one of the worst war movies every made?

Yes - I agree with you totally. When that movie first came out here in Australia, I took my Great Uncle & Great Aunt to see it. Great Uncle Jack - by the way - was interned in a POW camp during WW2 and had (he's deceased now) a lot of knowledge and history of that era. They were annoyed and disappointed at, as you succinctly put it, "the historical inaccuracies" of the era and, as my Aunt pointed out, the 'low morale of the women portrayed" during that era. Women were very different back in the 1940's, yet, there was the main character, having a shag, near the parachutes!!

They both felt it was an insult to Americans and anyone who had lived during the 1940's.

I felt so guilty for inviting them to see it with me in the first place.

I noticed that the script was dull, lacked fluidity and the theme bordered between a "Mills & Boon" romance novel / fairytale and an 'action-movie'.

Apart from the delicious "eye candy" component, generated by a couple of the actors (eg - Ben Affleck), it would have to be, in my opinion, one of the worse movies EVER made!!

I'm so glad someone hates that movie as much as I did!!

I think a lot of the 'sickening cliches' have to do with the era in which the films take place; during the first and second World Wars, the USA had a very strong, almost unanimous feeling of patriotism and support for their soldiers, pitching in where they could. When we look back on the 1940's, it is the heroic stories of brotherhood and perseverance we generally hear about. While the script for Peal Harbor may have been cliche and predictable, great movies like Saving Private Ryan carry a similar patriotic undertone to the story. If you look at films like Platoon, or Born of the Fourth of July, for instance, the tone of the story is much different, when Americans were beginning to understand the gruesome side of war and protested it. Movies set in modern times about the current war in Iraq seem contain a similar message.

The story line, not the historical parts that were there, but the romance was unnecessary. It took from what Pearl Harbor really was about.

The screen play, and the filming itself was decent in my eyes. Especially towards the end where the flag is floating in the water and you can see the sun filtering around it.

Yeah...

the only good part about that movie was the last hour, with the actual attack on Pearl Harbor. And even that wasn't as great as it could have been. The love triangle story could have been completely done away with. And yes, I would be as mad as hell if I had to see that child everyday...

Horrible movie. A complete waste of three hours of my life...

Watch Tora Tora Tora

Of all the reasons I have heard about that movie being the worst was because of the love story. Yes, it may have been in accurate but that's hollywood. I have also heard that the special effects went over board.....the directer (forget his name) has a habit of that.

The title of the movie was Pearl Harbor but it should have been Big F'ing Mess. Because the movie wasn't about the attack, but the whole love triangle.

Your right, if everytime I looked at that kid I would be pissed. They did think Ben was dead tough................. but I would still be pissed

Yea that movie is terrible. When the Japs attacked it would have been way to early for a baseball game. They attacked way earlier in the morning than the movie portrayed. And the love story just completely took away the history of that day. Yea terrible movie.

Ive said it before, the only remotely accurate movie Ive ever seen come close to actual history is "Black Hawk Down".

As a war movie, "Pearl Harbor" does suck. My maternal grandfather died at Pearl Harbor, so the subject has some personal interest on my part.

But on the other hand, any movie with Kate Beckinsale is A-Okay in my book! I'd pay money to watch her hang wallpaper!

That movie is bullshit, whoever tries to make a war movie and turn it into a love story is an idiot.

A really good movie (that i think is accurate) is "TORA! TORA! TORA!" Its also about pearl harbor but it actually spends more time focusing on the battle instead of some bull **** love story.

i dont know how inaccurate it was, but ive heard it was

also, i always thought japan attacked really early? instead of around noonish. cause i remember a baseball game or something where the kids looked up at the sky and saw the planes coming. so that means its probaly late morning instead of early morning

hmm idk owell

if you want to watch a really accurate movie, watch passchendaele. its so good i love it

edit - dude i totally have to agree with the guy above me. it was definetly more of a chick flick than a war movie. which is why i hated it

i hate chick flicks.. ugh.

I never managed to make it all the way through Pearl Harbor - and I did try. Horrible on all levels, probably could not be salvaged no matter what.