Review 514: Unbroken

Unbroken is a harrowing, gruelling but emotionally powerful and rewarding experience all held beautifully together by Angelina Jolie's gripping direction and a bravura performance from newcomer Jack O'Connell. 

Based on the non-fiction book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, the film is biography of World War II hero Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell), a former Olympic track star who survived a plane crash in the Pacific theatre, spent 47 days drifting on a raft and then survived more than two and a half years as a prisoner of war in three brutal Japanese POW camps.

At the heart of this film is the indomitable power and strength of the human spirit as well as Louis Zamperini ability to forgive. During the war, Louis Zamperini went through hell no human being should have to go through. Yet through some miracle, he perseveres

Angelina Jolie pulls absolutely no punches in portraying the hardships that Louis Zamperini and his comrades went through.

Disappointingly, the film doesn't focus enough on Zamperini running career which is something of a let down.

Angelina Jolie's direction is  the cinematography is gorgeous and captures the beauty of the period and locations. The scenery is beautiful, the score by Alexandre Desplat is beautifully soulful, the make up is rich and brilliantly detailed. The costumes are
The tension in this film is just extraordinary and helps lend to a more agonising experience, we as an audience so want Louis Zamperini to survive the prison camps, survive on the raft

Jack O'Connell absolutely nails the part of Louis Zamperini, expertly bringing to life the mans determination, per

Garrett Hedlund, Jai Courtney, Finn Wittrock and Alex Russell

The Anonymous Critic.