The film is war drama based on Laura Hillenbrand book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. The film revolves around the life of Olympic Runner Louis Zamperini, it stars Jack O’Connell, Garrett Heldmund, Finn Wittrock, Jai Courtney & Domhnall Gleeson. It was directed and produced by Angelina Jolie.

Premise: World War II hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini, a former Olympic track star, survives a plane crash in the Pacific, spends 47 days drifting on a raft, and then more than two and a half years living in several Japanese prisoner of war camps.

Review: When I first heard about this film, I got really excited about the story but the mix reviews had me walking into the theater ready to nitpick. 

Some people might not agree with me but the film was masterfully directed. It showcases the war, in all its aspects battles, death, starvation, and torture without inflaming the audience. I’ve seen documentaries that left me wanting vengeance for the oppressed. Unbroken is about Louie’s forgiveness, his resilience despite what was done to him and the film does just that. It’s sturdy and infused with darkness, shows the gruesome and the brutality but it does not make you angry, hopping for Japan to burn for what they did to him. On the contrary you hope for Louie to stand strong and stick it out.

Watching the movie there’s an implied understanding for both sides, you won’t like that Louie’s brutalized and mentally tortured but at the same time you’re not hating the guys brutalizing him. It helps to know how it’ll end, which also explains the lack of emotional involvement, but it’s about Louie during WWII. Louie is not depicted as a victim but as a person. I know the general consensus would be to almost break him down in order to build him back up but that would have been like blowing things up like a Michael Bay movie.