“Unbroken” tells the true story of Olympian and WWII veteran Louis Zamperini, who survived a plane crash that put him and two fellow soldiers adrift at sea for 47 days, and then two years in the brutal conditions of Japanese prison camps. All of this was chronicled in author Laura Hillenbrand’s 2010 best-selling book of the same name. Zamperini’s story may also be familiar to people because of his death this past July as “Unbroken” was beginning to generate some buzz. A photo of director Angelina Jolie leaning on Zamperini’s shoulder was widely circulated during that time.
So, much the same as with other recent films depicting well known historical figures/events, such as “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Captain Phillips”, Jolie’s challenge with “Unbroken” was to keep the suspense level high, allowing the audience to believe that Zamperini may not make it out of the life raft or the detention camps alive, even though we all know that he did. Or, at the very least, develop a sense of intrigue and wonder as to how and why Zamperini was able to persevere. Unfortunately, Jolie doesn’t succeed at either task.
“Unbroken” begins with the best scene in the entire movie. Zamperini (played by Jack O’Connell, who gives a solid performance) is part of a US bomber crew, fighting enemy planes as it attempts to make a drop on the Japanese mainland. The sequence is intense and exciting – an aerial marvel. The film then shifts back to Zamperini’s childhood and we see how he became a high school track star and an Olympian, competing in the 1936 Games in Berlin, Germany.
A short time later, we’re back in the air and this time the plane crashes. Only Zamperini and two others live. They manage to get into two small liferafts and have limited supplies. It seems like every year Hollywood makes at least one movie about someone lost at sea. I was not a huge fan of “Life of Pi” or “All Is Lost”, both of which dragged on, with disappointing payoffs. And while Jolie only spends half an hour of the two hours and 20 minutes with Zamperini adrift in the ocean, it’s still way too long considering not much happens and we all know he’s going to survive. And this first act sets the tone for the rest of the film.
After a remarkable 47 days, Zamperini and another surviving soldier are “rescued” by the Japanese. The two are eventually taken to a detention camp where the leader, Watanabe (played by Miyavi) immediately makes his presence and authority known to everyone, especially Zamperini, who he singles-out and beats often and viciously.
“Unbroken” had two original screenplay writers, and then Joel and Ethan Coen were brought-in to likely try to save a leaky script. There are a few interesting swerves, including an opportunity Zamperini is given to live a better life in Japan but at a cost. And the Miyavi character does go in some surprising directions. But the film, as a whole, has no dramatic arc. It’s flat-lined, and therefore lacks any compelling features.
I found myself sitting and staring at the screen, watching the situations play-out (which mostly consist of Zamperini getting beaten, punched and threatened over and over and over again), but completely unengaged. And yet, with only one-note to play, the movie is drawn-out, with every scene longer than it should be. The inspiration meter remains stuck on low due to an overall lack of excitement. And when Jolie attempts to pull-off a triumphant climactic finale, the result is, instead, kinda cheesy and confusing.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Unbroken” gets a C. Zamperini’s life story is nothing short of incredible. This movie doesn’t do it justice.