“Letters From Iwo Jima” is the companion piece to “Flags Of Our Fathers”, directed by Clint Eastwood (“Unforgiven”, “Dirty Harry”) and produced by Steven Spielberg (“Jaws”). It’s a terrific piece that is just as good (perhaps even better) than “Flags Of Our Fathers”. It is a more conventional war film than its counterpart as it focuses more on the actual combat but in a way it makes it easier to follow.

This film tells the story of the WWII fight for Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective. We learn of the great General Kuribyashi (Ken Watanabe “Batman Begins”, “Inception”) and how he uses what little resources he has to put up the best possible fight against the Americans. It’s one of the most violent films I’ve seen (along with “Flags Of Our Fathers”) yet is so incredibly moving.

I like the fact this film was done in Japanese with Japanese actors. I dislike it when you see just Asians in the roles when they don’t actually meet the physical description to play the people of the country they’re meant to be from. General Kuribyashi comes across as a really smart guy and had he had more support from the mainland and from his soldiers on the island, I think the fight could have gone the other way.

“Letters From Iwo Jima” is shocking, terrifying and something that must be seen. Both of the films together work perfectly to give you the full experience; watching one and not the other simply will not do. The two films are so different yet so similar that I was tempted to do one review but seen as how they were released separately, I scrapped that concept. Had they made one film, jumping from both sides, I don’t think it would have worked as well because each film puts you in the mind-set of a side for a good couple of hours so you can appreciate the characters more.