“Flags Of Our Fathers” was directed by Clint Eastwood (“Unforgiven”, “Pale Rider”) and produced by Steven Spielberg (“Jaws”) and is incredible. It’s violent, disturbing, realistic and moving. Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” seemed to spend a lot of time adding the ‘Hollywood touch’ to it all but you feel as if you can hold onto every word in “Flags Of Our Fathers” and I can’t wait to see Eastwood’s companion piece, “Letters From Iwo Jima”.

“Flags Of Our Fathers” tells the story of three men, who are credited for putting up the American flag on Iwo Jima during WWII. Whether they did or not is debatable but they stand for something and can inspire millions across America. We’re told through harsh flashbacks about their time and we get to truly understand that these men feel uncomfortable with the honours they are receiving.

Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford (“Bring It On”) and Adam Beach (“Windtalkers”) are the three men the film focuses on and they are far more believable than the guys in “Saving Private Ryan”, they remind me more of the bunch from “Full Metal Jacket”. The performances are terrific. The characters outweigh the action here and that’s what makes it work so beautifully.

You’ll see some of the grimmest imagery in this film that you’ll ever see but it’s done with such dignity that you can tolerate it. This isn’t some over the top action film, this is as close to reality as a film is going to get. I loved “Flags Of Our Fathers” because like Eastwood’s “Unforgiven” and “Mystic River”, it doesn’t romanticise the action in any way, it’s shocking, disorientating and not something you’d ever want to experience in real-life. Eastwood is smart choosing to do this film to show the American side and his companion film to show the Japanese side of the conflict, something I’m now going to seek out and watch as soon as possible because if it’s anywhere near as good as this, I’ll be pleased.