"Critics Bomb Pearl Harbor, Audiences Counterattack"
"Meanwhile, Shrek pleases both audiences and critics. But perhaps the most important movie event of the month is slipping by almost unnoticed."
Jeffrey Overstreet
May 1, 2001
The first big raves of the year are being awarded to two films currently playing. One, Shrek, you've probably heard of. The other, Eureka, you probably haven't.
Hot from the Oven
Moviegoing audiences repeatedly prove that critics have little or no effect on what they will or will not see. They go instead because of the promotion, because of the stars, and because of the subject matter. You'll be hard pressed to find a historical event more dramatic, tragic, and spectacular than the sudden, shocking, and deadly attack of the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. And you'll be hard pressed to find a hotter star than Ben Affleck, or a more popular director than Michael Bay.
And you'll also be hard pressed to find a decent review of Pearl Harbor.
A few critics in the religious media seem to think the movie is worth seeing. Preview's anonymous critic calls it "An inspiring and patriotic production." Most critics, though, were offended by the way the film turns a very serious, tragic, and sickening event into an entertaining "good time." The Dove Foundation's Holly McClure disagrees: "The incredible script by Randall Wallace, gorgeous scenery, wonderful period costumes, stirring musical score by Hans Zimmer and incredible cast make this a spectacular ode to American history that simply shouldn't be missed by anyone. It is the first serious Oscar contender this year."
The war scenes certainly made an impression on the critic at Christian Spotlight on the Movies: "Amazing special effects and plenty of time spent on this really make it work. And oh, the tragedy that war brings. Up close and personal we see hundreds of charred and shattered bodies, some in the water and others on land. Once the attack is over and we survey the damage, the sadness ...
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