An American war action adventure; A story about a U. S. marine sergeant who brutally trains a squad of rebellious, raw recruits for a major initiative in the Pacific theatre of World War II so that they may be prepared for a harsher battle than they expect. This is a low-budget war actioner, eminently watchable. The film does not set out to re-enact the Battle of Iwo Jima with strict fidelity nor does it aim to be broad enough to characterise the United States Marine Corps in all aspects. The film's theme was about sacrifice and the savage realism of war experienced and underestimated by those engaged in modern military service. It employs a straightforward storyline to convey this. The gung ho of the stock characters do clot the dialogue at times and the characters run the gamut of armed forces film cliches, but overall the passionate story is inspiring and inspirational. The Iwo Jima battle scenes captured by near and middle distance camera shots make good spectacle. Actual battle footage is interspersed throughout the film which lends authenticity without interrupting pace or narrative flow. John Wayne is well cast as the relentless disciplinarian with a rigid code of ethics who is cool under pressure. His conflict with John Agar provides some good dramatic tension. As an aside, some battle scenes featured cameos from G. I.s who were involved in the real combat in 1945.
Review of Sands of Iwo Jima
