Unbroken [Blu-ray]

This is truly a great movie! I didn't realize when I purchased it that it was based on a true story, which is why I would describe it as a great movie. Without giving too much of it away, it's about Louis Zamperini (played by Jack O'Connell), who learns about the value of forgiveness. The movie starts off with him in on assignment in a military aircraft that looses its hydraulics after being shot on assignment, but still manages to return and make an emergency landing. On a second military flight assignment, while flying over the ocean, the plane he is on stops working and crashes into the water. While this is taking place, he begins to reflect on his running accomplishments when he was a young boy. After the crash landing into the ocean, only him and two crewman survive, and are stuck at sea for 47 days before the Japanese navy find him and the one surviving crewman, and makes them POWs. He is treated horribly during the entire time he was held as a POW, but manages not to let the conditions get to him and ultimately is released along with the other POWs because the war is over. After returning to the United States, Jack gets to do what he was going to do prior to getting stranded at sea, which was run in the Olympics, which happens to be in Japan again (Japan is where the Olympics here going to be held, when he was planning on running in them). Jack being much older, this time isn't running in the Olympics competitively, but instead as an Olympic torch carrier, and demonstrates his forgiveness while there. The ending really surprised me, because I hadn't paid too much attention to what the movie was about when I originally purchased it. If you're looking for a great drama movie based on a true story, that leaves you feeling good at the end, this would be a good one to watch. Hope you enjoy it!

After reading the book, this was truly the most accurately depicted movie based on a book I've ever seen. The movie was everything I'd hoped it would be. The only drawback for me was that it did not continue with the character's story about his coming to know Jesus as his personal Savior after several years of PTSD and alcoholism, and how his life changed after that. However, in the documentary in the "extra's" of this DVD this was heavily talked about by the character himself. So I urge you to watch all the special features and interviews after watching the movie. Allow plenty of time because this is a long movie. But you will not be bored or disappointed! Angelina Jolie did a wonderful job as director. I even believe she expressed a real acknowledgement of the power of Jesus Christ as something much bigger than what we see in Louis Zamprrini's life during her interview. It looked as though she was deeply moved as she spoke of the faith and power in this mans life, because of his faith in Jehovah God. I pray she will accept Jesus as her personal Savior as well, along with many others while there is still time!

The movie was interesting but the movie stopped way to short of the real miracle in Louis Zamperini's life.. So Hollywood again paints a picture that elevates man ability to overcome adversity by his own strength.Louis falls apart when he gets home and almost destroys his life and family but God steps in and puts him back on the right track. I would suggest that you read a book about him if you are interested in the real story. A good children book about Louis Zamperini is writen By Janet and Geoff Benge.

I read the book and so I was prepared for the extreme violence that are the base of this tale. The story was nicely transitioned from book to screen and Angela Jolie has done a really superb job in recreating the 1940's period and constructing stunning visual cinematics. The performances are generally good - although this is really a film where the events and narrative drive the overall impressions.My only criticism is that Jolie fails to get to the ultimate point of the story and the ultimate meaning of the protagonist's life. After the war the hero went home and experienced tremendous personal problems, including alcoholism, until he found religious faith and embraced forgiveness as the cure to his emotional pain and suffering. There are brief references to this metamorphosis at the film's conclusion, but removing them from the dramatic telling of the story just flat out misses the point. It is this ultimate evolution to a loving, forgiving human being that is the foundation for his becoming and remaining Unbroken.Perhaps it is Hollywood's discomfort with religion that caused Jolie to de-emphasize this element of the tale. But it is a mistake that make the film a bit depressing. A few less beatings and a little more redemption would have made this a more uplifting film.

The film is based upon a true story - The Story of 'Louis Zamperini''Louis' (Jack O'Connell) is a member of a U.S Bomber Crew during WW2.Early on he reflects upon his early life during which he could have taken a very different path, however his brother encouraged himto be all that he could be, and we, if but briefly follow his journey leading to him becoming a competitor in the 5000 mtrs - Event in the1936 Berlin Olympic Games.The Bomber Crew are given a rescue mission during which the plane experiences engine failure they come down in the Ocean below.There are only three survivors 'Louis' 'Phil' (Domhnall Gleeson) and 'Mac' (Finn Wittrock) seemingly stranded with little chance ofsurvival.After bobbing about aimlessly in the two life-rafts surviving by catching the odd fish and collecting rain water in the Shark Infested watersfor over seven-weeks 'Louis' and 'Phil' are rescued.......but not by their own, they are picked up by a Japanese Patrol-Boat and taken asprisoners of war.After being submitted to brutal punishment at the hands of their captors to extract information they are taken with others to a main-landprisoner of war camp.The camp Commandant known as 'The Bird' runs a strict and brutally cruel regime frequently giving 'Louis' more than his fair share of hissadistic attention.(The 'Bird' evaded punishment for war crimes and in the spirit of forgiveness was eventually pardoned by America forhis crimes)'Louis's' determination, courage and faith and will to survive will be put through a severe test.This is an often moving and intense film which often graphically depicts in some measure the conditions and horror of the reality's of theJapanese Prisoner of War Camps and Work zones endured by 'Louis' and fellow prisoners during WW2.As the allies gradually gained the upper hand in the conflict we do during a forced-march see the devastation caused by bombing on theJapanese main-land.'Louis Zamperini' achieved a life-long ambition to run again at an Olympics at the age of 80 as a Olympic-Torch carrier, it was the 5th timehe'd been able to do so.......he died aged 97 in December 2014.Special Features -* Deleted Scenes* The Fight of a Storyteller* Director Angelina Jolie* Inside Unbroken (50 years in the Making)

This film can be entered in two different ways. Through the obvious door at first bu also through the chimney then, and the chimney is always more interesting because it is the way Father Christmas favors.The first one is the main character and his true story. There is little to say about that true story. Louis Zamperini is what we call a hero. He managed to go through and survive some absolutely unique and insane situations in which he was made to suffer for the pleasure the torturer was getting out of it, that pleasure which compensates for all the frustrations you can imagine. All torturers are simple people in everyday life but they are deeply frustrated or alienated because they could not do what they wanted to do and some others than themselves have been able to do it. They have to take some vengeance and get even with those who dared do better than they did. A sadist is always a failure who is turning his failure into success by getting even with those who were not failures, with those who had the guts to succeed while he, himself, did not have the brain to even imagine how to succeed.But this approach of the film is not very interesting. No one admire Jesus because he accepted to suffer for us. We admire him because he managed to forgive his torturers.The second approach is the distance this film creates with WW2. That was an event that was a long time ago and Louis himself is demonstrating that living in the spirit of the war, in the desire to come even with those whom we fought, in some vengeful way or even in some due payment for the suffering they imposed onto us, is absurd and insane.The film shows that strength is inside and that strength dictates we forgive them afterwards and we try to stand up to them or in fact very often down to them, even if that costs us our own life because dying would be a victory since we would have forced them to sell their soul and their sanity to the devil and to absolute oblivion, human annihilation. It is this strength that enables someone who is unjustly convicted of a crime he did not commit, or of a crime that was never committed, to be strong enough to survive as long as possible and to submit to the final ordeal in dignity. Look at your executioner in the eyes and dare him to be proud of what he is doing in front of God, a committee of one thousand people from all over the world, or simply his mother and father, sister and brother, and let him have the power to tell his own brother he would do the same to him in a similar situation. Why not his father or his mother?That’s where the film is strong. The final image of the room of the sergeant who ran away leaving behind a picture he should have cherished of himself as an infant with his father. He was not in such a hurry that he forgot it. He just let it behind because he couldn’t let his father know he would have done the same thing to him if the situation had required it. He knew he was an unworthy son of his own father, that he had betrayed his faith and his hope in him. And that’s the worst part of a defeat.Apart from that level of empathy, the film is beautifully acted and poignantly set up and directed. You cannot resist some scenes because they are stronger than what you way imagine as the maximum you can decently bear. Louis Zamp’ carried his beam just as well as Jesus carried his cross. We all have a cross to carry and it is by carrying it we can hope to reach some remarkable level. There is no future to those who want to have it easy all along the way. I can only tell the younger people I know and who seem not to realize that their dream is after a long path of hard efforts and stiff suffering that they are confused: their future is in their hands and that will require them to soil them and to harden them and even to scar them a little. Louis Zamp’ shows us that simple truth with the power of an unfailing faith in what strength can bring.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

I don't normally write reviews for films but after watching this I just wanted to say what a brilliant film it is. It catches you from the beginning. The acting is superb. This is based on a true story. I'm not sure how I missed this when it first came out but I'm glad I came across it. If like me you missed this first time round then give it a shot I don't think you will be disappointed.

Another Jack O'Connell film a superb role for this young actor with a storyline based upon a true story. It is though a brutal and cruel story which centres around the terrible treatment of prisoners of war during the 2nd world war by the Japanese military, the film ends with hope but many scars remain. My uncle was a prisoner of war in similar circumstances and could never talk in detail about the unspeakable cruelty inflicted upon him and his friends. This is a most moving story, and the acting is so excellent that it can be upsetting to believe the inhumanity which took place. A most highly recommended film superbly acted by all of those involved. The DVD arrived quickly and well packaged.

I had given my brother in law the book as a birthday present because he is very interested in stories of WWII. I decided to wait for the film to come out. The story is really interesting because is the life story of a man who became a medal winner at the Olympic Games of 1936, he enlisted in the military at the start of WWII and ended up stranded in the Pacific Ocean for 47 days with two other members of the flight crew. He was rescued by the Japanese and ended up in a concentration camp where his Olympic history made his life even harder for him for the duration. The film is very realistic and you feel all the pain of the men kept there and used and abused. Fortunately our hero survived and made his peace even with his captors. Now that I enjoyed the film so much, I will ask my brother in law to lend me the book!