The film that intended to be “the Titanic of war cinema”: 140 million invested in 3 hours of visual effects – Cinema News

A love story with a stunning event that left thousands of victims as a historical backdrop.

Over three hours long and with a massive budget of $140 million dedicated to creating the most stunning visual effects that reflected the horrors of war, Pearl Harbor was intended to be one of the best war films in history when it was released in 2001.

Directed by Michael Bay, who had just made Armageddon, and starring two rising actors, Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett, Pearl Harbor was a true box office success more than 20 years ago, grossing more than 450 million dollars. But on a critical level, the film encountered a concrete wall: a general rejection by the specialized press who did not believe in Bay’s approach of following the Titanic pattern, but this time in a context of war to achieve a new blockbuster.

Comparisons with Titanic, released four years earlier and the highest-grossing film of all time at the time, were very present in reviews of Michael Bay’s film. Just like Titanic, Pearl Harbor also tells a love story with a historical backdrop that nothing It is more than an event that left thousands of victims, in this case the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the context of the Second World War.

Likewise, Pearl Harbor also had an impressive budget and a director’s determination, as James Cameron did years before, to put the most innovative visual advances at his service to make a stunning film. Its more than three hours duration and the detail that they used the same scenario in which the Titanic “sank” to sink the attack ships, complete the similarities.

If you pause Pearl Harbor at 121 minutes and 57 seconds, you’ll see one of the most famous characters in film history in an appearance no one expected

Shortly before the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, two friends who are like brothers become involved in different ways in the events that cause the United States to enter World War II. While Rafe (Ben Affleck) falls in love with nurse Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale) and decides to enlist in the American force that will fight in World War II, in London, Danny (Josh Hartnett) becomes a pilot in the United States Air Force and remains in the country. After the news that Rafe had died in one of the fights he was fighting against the Germans, Danny and Evelyn get closer and end up falling in love.

Its 24% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes leaves Pearl Harbor as one of Michael Bay’s worst films. However, the film was nominated for four Oscars in recognition of its technical achievements, and would win for Best Sound Editing.

Pearl Harbor is available in the Star+ catalogue.

*Translation from a partner website of QuandoCinema