Introduction
“Unbroken” is a 2014 war drama film directed by American actress and filmmaker, Angelina Jolie. The movie is based on the best-selling nonfiction book “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” by Laura Hillenbrand, which chronicles the phenomenal life of Louis “Louie” Zamperini. He was a former Olympian turned war hero who faced relentless hardship during his time as a prisoner of war in Japan.
The war drama was scored by actor cum screenwriters Joel and Ethan Coen. The film incorporates both inhumane suffering and extraordinarily powerful portrayal of ones’ inner self, capturing the spirit and dignity of an individual in the face of extreme pain and suffering. Unbroken captures the essence of a conflicted war film and character study. It illustrates the struggle of a man facing physically and psychologically crippling hardships yet possesses an indomitable spirit.
Plot Summary
Unbroken captures the essence of its dramatic story through a series of flashbacks. It starts with Louie Zamperini’s turbulent childhood, his triumph as an Olympian, and comes full circle to his harrowing experiences throughout World War II.
The movie begins with an air raid in 1943 the Pacific. Ordinary Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) is a bombardier in the US Armed Forced Air Service. The tension of a vast aerial warfare is palpable as the viewer is thrown straight into the chaos induced by the rampaging, mind-boggling destruction battling fear through air combat. Watching the crew’s plane undergo unimaginable damages ranging from calamitous eruptions to unforgiving fires, everybody onboard was left clueless whether they would be able to reach base, and return slightly intact from this pandemonium.
Not long after this, Louie has to go on a rescue mission which is set on a severely outdated and neglected aircraft. After the engines give out, the plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean with only three crew members remaining: Louie, Phil Domhnall(Gleeson), and Mac Finn (Witrock). This leads to an uninterrupted 47-day torture session on a lifeboat where they had to fend off starvation, dehydration, shark attacks, and bombardments from the Japanese air force. While Mac loses the battle to survive, Louie and Phil—after a turbulent journey of being endlessly captured and set free—are caught by the Japanese navy.
Louie is sent from one prisoner-of-war camp to another, where he is met with inhumane treatment from his captors. A cruel camp commandant takes a special interest in Louie: Mutsuhiro “The Bird” Watanabe (Miyavi), who fixates on Louie because of his Olympic fame and American identity. During the span of two years, Louie faces beatings, mental trauma, and severe labor, but no matter the agony, he endures. Even when given the option of freedom if he agrees to serve as a propaganda puppet, Louie stubbornly chooses to remain imprisoned.
Watanabe is one of the most sadistic characters featured in the film, and in Watanabe’s first appearance in the film, one of the scenes most iconic in the world occurs. Watanabe orders Louie to hold an extensive heavy wooden beam above his head, for hours on end, under threat of execution. Instead of caving in, he endures until Watanabe, in disbelief, strikes him down in one of the most brutal scenes in cinematic history. This defiance embodies Louie’s spirit.
And in the end, Louie is liberated and the war eventually ends. The film concludes with an explicit epilogue of the film featuring real Louis Zamperini. Some of this footage shows him returning to Japan only decades after the war to forgive his captors. It also notes that Louie passed away in 2014, just before the release of this film, at the age of 97.
Cast and Performances
Jack O’Connell as Louis Zamperini: O’Connell gives a stunning performance, bringing to life Louie’s character with stoic strength, frailty, and raw humanity. His physical transformation during the film enhances the role’s believability, and the depth of his emotions truly captures the essence of the character’s heroism.
Miyavi as Mutsuhiro Watanabe: The Bird’s role was chillingly brought to life by the rock star turned actor; further amplifying the character and adding intensity and a deeply unsettling quality as ‘The Bird.’ His nuanced portrayal of Watanabe was both cruel and complex.
Domhnall Gleeson as Phil: Gleeson’s portrayal is one of warmth and compassion as he takes on the role of Louie’s primary companion while they drift at sea together. His thoughtful performance heightens the level of emotion in the early survival scenes.
Finally, Garrett Hedlund and Finn Wittrock complete the supporting cast portraying the military bonds and resilience the soldiers shared.
Direction and Cinematography
Angelina Jolie directs Unbroken with graceful respect towards the subject. It is clear watching the film that her intent was to capture the emotions of Zamperini’s experiences. The film is brutally realistic, but does not sensationalise suffering. Instead, Angelina balances physical realism with insights on emotions that are gripping making you feel Louie’s pain—and strength.
Cinematographer Roger Deakins applies his unique style to the film’s visual storytelling. Deakins enhances the ocean’s sweeping shots and the prison camp’s tight, stifling frames enhancing the narrative’s emotional reverberations. Immersive tension and visual clarity are especially distinct in the aerial combat scenes.
Themes and Symbolism
Unbroken covers a variety of strong and profound themes such as perseverance, indomitable faith, unyielding identity, and forgiveness. Louie’s unyielding endurance defies defeat, portraying a testament to the vigor of human resolve rather than superhuman invincibility. His resolve of not succumbing to dehumanization by his captors serves as a beacon of hope in desperate times.
Faith also remains another vital theme. Whereas the film does not go into detail over Louie’s post-war religious awakening (a significant factor of his real-life story), it does draw attention to the inner fortitude and moral strength of the man. The ability to forgive Watanabe despite all things shows the overarching theme of the film about the kindness of compassion as well as the grace of redemption.
The title itself, Unbroken, is descriptive of Louie, remain synonymous with his spirit and survival. Although he was beaten, starved, and humiliated, emotionally he remains intact. It is the beating and refusal to submit that makes him a quiet hero. Unlike many, he is steadfast with his strength, which is defined not by violence but rather endurance.
Reception and Legacy
Critically, the film Unbroken received mixture reviews as it was seen positively in most aspects. It’s strongest praise came from the respect towards the real-life story, the performances, and the cinematography. Many critics pointed out the constraints the film faced because of a lack of psychological introspection.
Unbroken does capture the life of Zamperini in an inspiring fashion, which seems to be a consensus among critics. The film turned out to do well in the box office and received a good number of nominations for awards based on editing, cinematography, and sound scores. The movie sparked public interest towards Louie Zamperini, along with Hillenbrand’s biography which further shaped Zamperini’s identity as an American hero.
Conclusion
More than a mere war movie, Unbroken displays the virtues of the American spirit. It captures the true story of a man who was confront with cruelty, yet chose to exercise courage rather than succumbing to attacks. The movie displays immense artistry in terms of performances and visuals alongside the portrayal and tribute towards the true nature of heroism.
Whether seen as an endurance story, a humanistic tale, or a historical depiction, Unbroken provides vivid insights on the human deeply soul and resilience when faced with the most extreme adversities. Reiterating the idea that the body may indeed be broken, but with safeguards and the right protection, the spirit will always prevail.
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