But Clint Eastwood may be. In his last several directorial efforts, Eastwood has concentrated on pleasing what he perceives to be a modern "hip" audience rather than on presenting a fair and coherent narrative. He underestimates the intelligent viewer's willingness and ability to think for themselves. Again and again, Eastwood overrelies on popular cynicism and simplistic emotional snapshots.



Flags of Our Fathers is a mess. If FoOF were a person, it would have multiple personality disorder. Is it a rousing, awe inspiring action flick? An inspiring tale of grunts persevering in the face of death and fear? A heartstring story of a soldier's failure to adjust to postwar society? A cynical condemnation of how the military uses and discards it's own? Poorly edited, simplistically thought out and morally confused, FoOF meanders all over the cinematic map and tries too hard to be all things to all viewers. Eastwood: pick an overall tone and go with it.



Eastwood lays on the cynicism concerning the gov't/military with a trowel. Alas, real life is messy. America was at war and in the fight of its life. Fabricating a kodak moment to sell war bonds is, in itself, cynical and morally wrong but hardly the grievous offense Eastwood makes it out to be. More like a little white lie that went to a good cause. Eastwood makes a mountain out of a molehill by making it seem as if the military callously ruined these young mens' lives by forcing them to "live a lie" and cruelly deceived a gullible American public. Hardly. While it is entirely possible the servicemen felt dubious about being false heroes, it is unlikely they would have been so agonized by the temporal false fame. More likely, they would have understood that they were bit players in a much larger ballgame. Sometimes a sacrifice bunt is more helpful than a home run.



Adam Beach is the only actor who is given the material to render an excellent performance and he rises admirably to the occasion. The others seem unconvinced or deer-in-the-headlights. Eastwood tries so hard to be postenlightment too-cool-for-school, he sells everyone short, including himself as an artist.