America 250th! A Look at “Unbroken”

As a boy, Louis “Louie” Zamperini was always in trouble, but with the help of his older brother, he turned his life around and channeled his energy into running, later qualifying for the 1936 Olympics. When World War II breaks out, Louie enlists in the military.

After his plane crashes in the Pacific, he survives an incredible 47 days adrift in a raft. Sent to a POW camp after being found, Louie becomes the favorite target of a particularly cruel prison commander.

The 2014 film “Unbroken,” directed by Angelina Jolie, has been generally praised for its deeply inspiring true story, exceptional lead performances and incredible execution.

Throughout this film, I felt profoundly moved by the scale of Louis Zamperini’s real life survival story - from Olympic runner to surviving 47 days stranded at sea to enduring very brutal WWII prisoner camps. The film’s core theme of mental toughness is also deeply inspirational as we see Zamperini’s refusal to curl up and die, even when starved, beaten and tortured, giving viewers a profound sense of hope and inspiration.

There’s an emotionally raw moment towards the film’s conclusion where the cruel prison commander Watanabe forces a starving Zamperini to hold a heavy wooden beam over his head that is also a truly pivotal scene. His triumph in lifting it high despite physical exhaustion evokes profound themes of human dignity. In another striking display of inner strength, Zamperini demands his fellow prisoners to punch him in the face to save another prisoner from being beaten to death - showcasing ultimate self-sacrifice.

This 2014 film resonates broadly by showing that courage can persist in the darkest of moments. For many viewers and myself, Zamperini’s refusal to surrender mentally or emotionally serves as a moving allegory for persevering through personal hardships. What also helped in those moments is Jack O’Connell’s grounded portrayal as his acting anchored the emotional core of the film, making Louis’ will to survive feel incredibly authentic. 

The 2014 film “Unbroken” received mixed reviews from critics but favorable responses from general audiences. While praised for its cinematography, gripping survival scenes and O’Connell’s lead performance, critics found the narrative too conventional while audiences resonated deeply with the inspirational themes.

“Unbroken” is an excellent and deeply moving watch for America’s 250th anniversary. The film captures the raw grit, resilience, and ultimate redemption of American war hero Louis Zamperini, serving as a tribute to the “Greatest Generation.”

MPA: Rated PG-13 for war violence including intense sequences of brutality, and for brief language   (runtime 137 minutes)

Initial release date: December 25, 2014

Streaming: Netflix/various PVOD platforms   (as of writing this review)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk1M_HwmFMM

• The real Louis Zamperini passed away on July 2, 2014. He was able to watch a rough cut of the film on director Angelina Jolie's laptop while in the hospital before he passed.

• While Zamperini and Phil are floating out at sea on the raft, the picture of a woman that Phil looks at is actually the real photo of his sweetheart and later wife, provided by his daughter to Angelina Jolie during filming.

• Despite being a born-again Christian, Louis Zamperini requested that the film not delve too deeply into his religion, as he wanted his experiences with faith and forgiveness to reach the audience on a universal level.

• Miyavi found performing the scene in which Zamperini is forced to hold a beam over his head at gunpoint so upsetting and intense that he vomited on set.

• Left out of the movie is one of the most horrific aspects of the real postwar life of Louis Zamperini. Not only did he suffer from severe PTSD, depression and alcoholism, but also dealt with night terrors about strangling his Japanese captors. In 1948, during a particularly strong episode, Zamperini started strangling his pregnant wife, which made her file for divorce shortly after. It was the specific incident that made Zamperini finally seek help and the comfort of religion.

• Universal Studios bought the rights to the story of Louis Zamperini in 1957 in the hope of developing it for Tony Curtis. In later years, Nicolas Cage expressed an interest. The project finally got the green light after Laura Hillenbrand's 2010 book about Zamperini became a best-seller.

• Louis Zamperini became a devoted follower to Jesus Christ and went back to Japan and forgave those who hurt him while he was kept prisoner.