Review: ‘Unbroken’ tells a true story so incredible it’s hard to believe

Posted on January 9, 2015

By MARK VIOLA

The World War II-film “Unbroken” is based on the true story of Louis Zamperini, whose life seems the stuff of fiction, as if it was written to someday become a movie. This film, from actor-turned-director Angelina Jolie, is a story of hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds and how the will to live can overcome nearly anything.

Although time restrictions keep the film from fleshing out the nuances and periphery of Zamperini’s story, a powerful performance by actor Jack O’Connell (“300: Rise of an Empire”) and a wonderful job directing by Jolie makes this one well worth watching.

“Unbroken” is Jolie’s second film in the director’s chair after her debut with “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” for which she received significant praise. Although I haven’t seen that film, “Unbroken” shows she has quite the feel for how to present a story such as this. The script problems not withstanding, Jolie gives us a very well-made war movie which includes aerial battles, long days adrift at sea and months upon months in a prisoner-of-war camp. Even with these wide-ranging settings and events, the film feels cohesive and not separate pieces.

“Unbroken” is not a perfect film, but is a quite good one, telling a story nearly too incredible to believe. Sadly Zamperini died in 2014, but not before he was able to see a rough cut of the movie telling the world his story.

The film is rated PG-13 for war violence including intense sequences of brutality, and for brief language.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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