Hollywood biopics are among the most reliably bad movies to come out every year and Unbroken is no exception. Angelina Jolie’s big screen adaptation of the life of World War II soldier Louis Zamperini feels like a Disneyfied version of struggle and redemption (see The Rookie, Miracle). Zamperini, whose incredible story was documented in Laura Hillenbrand’s book by the same title, was a courageous and inspiring figure who died during the film’s post production. He and other soldiers who suffered similar experiences deserve better than this drivel.
The story is told non-linearly for the first half of the film, a technique Jolie completely forgets about during the second act. Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) is a bombardier stationed in the Pacific who, before becoming a soldier, was an Olympic athlete who set several world records in track. When his plane goes down during a search and rescue mission, Louis and two other men spend 47 days in a life raft before being discovered by a Japanese ship.
Louis is taken to a Japanese POW camp where he is targeted for special mental and physical torture by the camp’s sadistic commander Mutsuhiro “The Bird” Watanabe (Miyavi). The Bird does everything he can to break Louis down so that he can prove to himself and the other prisoners that even an Olympic athlete can’t withstand Japanese punishment. Much to his surprise and dismay, Louis does not break...he remains unbroken.
Like a instructor teaching to the middle of the class, Jolie directs the film so it can be as inoffensive as possible to the widest audience possible. While the film doesn’t necessarily need to be as graphic and viscerally disturbing as, say, Schindler’s List, Louis Zamperini suffered inhuman conditions which isn’t depicted in the film. Jolie chooses, instead, to focus on only the treatment which can be captured in a trailer and broadcast on network television during primetime. Zamperini’s abuse was unimaginable and to soften it for the sake of studio executives and box office receipts is offensive and unforgivable.
O’Connell gives a solid performance but isn’t challenged by Jolie at all. His scenes are basically just excuses to blast overbearing music at the audience in an attempt to force emotion. Anyone who saw O’Connell earlier this year in Starred Up knows that, like Tom Hardy, he is a capable of unleashing an emotionally and physically powerful performance. O’Connell is going to be one of the most exciting actors to watch in the next few years. Without question he will have many, many memorable roles that will scrub this travesty from our memories.
Only Director of Photography Roger Deakins is able to inject any art or emotion into the film. He beautifully captures the lush island scenery of Louis’ base, the grandiosity of the Olympic arena and the hopelessness of being lost at sea. Luckily, Deakins is able to squeeze in some wonderful cinematography to somewhat obscure Jolie’s worthless job as a director.
Unbroken is the worst of what Hollywood produces again and again. Angelina Jolie has ruined the opportunity to celebrate one of the most amazing men in American history by crafting the cinematic equivalent of a Hallmark Veterans’ Day greeting card.
Grade: F
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