> *It's a war movie with almost no fighting. It's a survival movie that's more interested in psychology than fishing tips. An American pilot and a Japanese captain wash up on the same island, and instead of immediately killing each other, they spend most of the runtime playing this elaborate, frustrated game of cat-and-mouse . There's a lot of posturing, a lot of yelling in languages neither understands, and some genuinely funny moments—like fighting over a piece of driftwood .* > *What makes it work is the two leads. Marvin is all brute force and menace; Mifune is pure intensity and dignity . Neither speaks the other's language, so everything is conveyed through body language, tone, and sheer presence. Boorman's direction is subtle and patient, letting the tension build slowly .* > *But it drags in the middle, and the ending is infuriating. The studio tacked on a stupid explosion that makes no sense, completely undercutting everything that came before . The original ending is much better—quieter, sadder, more honest. Some people will find the whole thing too slow and pretentious. Others will appreciate its stripped-down, allegorical power. I'm somewhere in between.*

Browse discussions about “Hell in the Pacific”

Jump to Reddit for live threads on this title.