Pearl Harbor

I'm watching Pearl Harbor, to try and figure out how I could do a WWII plane movie. I have the idea, and it's got potential. And in watching it, I may have figured out why it's so poorly received.

IT'S SO DRAMATIC. Like, to a ridiculous degree. It's got WWII politics, and Ben Affleck's main plot, and it's just thick with drama. They have a relationship based on terrible things happening while they're together, and they do everything. The "baby, I'm going to war" speech, the sad train goodbye sequence, and they're just SO in love, despite dating for like, a month. And then she ends up with not-Ben Affleck, and she's all "I'll wait for you." Like, she's got Ben Affleck as a backup dude. It's kind of fucked up. And I know she's preggers, but that doesn't make it not fucked up.

And then, when Ben Affleck's in Britain, the Brits get shot down left and right, and they're like "If all Americans fight like you, god save everyone who fights against you." It felt like they could have put Ben Affleck in an Uncle Sam costume and had him slowly jerking off from time to time. It was 'Murica x100.

Don't get me wrong, the bombing sequence is FUCKING AWESOME, but it't like an awesome burger with pretentious toppings and an overly-dramatic bun. I mean, I understand that the character story would be boring if they dulled it down. It just felt like their dialogue choices were over the top.

Ultimately, it's a good movie. It's just got two scoops of 'MURICA in every scene, and that makes it a bit tough to watch at times. Thankfully, the action is enough to make the movie overall watchable.

Also, Goose.