Flags of Our Fathers poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, John Benjamin Hickey, John Slattery ... see more see more... , Barry Pepper , Jamie Bell , Paul Walker , Robert Patrick , Neal McDonough , Melanie Lynskey , Tom McCarthy , Christopher Bauer , Judith Ivey , Myra Turley , Joseph Cross , Benjamin Walker , Alessandro Mastrobuono , Scott Reeves , Stark Sands , George Grizzard , Harve Presnell , George Hearn , Len Cariou , Christopher Curry , Bubba Lewis , Beth Grant , Connie Ray , Ann Dowd , Mary Beth Peil , David Patrick Kelly , Jon Polito , Ned Eisenberg , Gordon Clapp , Michael Cumpsty , V.J. Foster , Kirk B.R. Woller , Tom Verica , Jason Gray-Stanford , Matt Huffman , David Hornsby , Brian Kimmet , David Rasche , Tom Mason , Patrick Dollaghan , James Newman , Steven M. Porter , Dale Waddington Horowitz , Lennie Loftin , David Clennon , Mark Thomason , Oliver Davis , Sean Anthony Moran , Lisa Dodson , John Nielsen , Jon Kellam , Ron Fassler , Denise Bella , Vlasis-Gascon , Jenifer Menedis , Joie Shettler , Vivien Lesiak , John Henry Canavan , Donn Emerson , Jayma Mays , Yukari Black , John Hoogenakker , Barry Sigismonde , William R. Charlton , Beth Tapper , Shannon Gayle , Jim Cantafio , Mark Colson , Danny McCarthy , Patrick New , James Horan , Michael Canavan , Erica Grant , Silas Weir Mitchell , George Cambio , David S. Brooks , Johann Johannson , Martin Delaney , Daniel Forcey , Bjorgvin Franz Gislason , Darrin Ingolfsson , Hilmar Gudjonsson , Jeremy Merrill , Jeremiah Bitsui

Clint Eastwood's adaptation of the non-fiction book Flags of Our Fathers concerns the lives of the men in the famous picture of soldiers raising the American flag over Iwo Jima during that historic WW... read more read more...II battle. Battle scenes are intercut with footage of three of the soldiers - played by Ryan Phillipe, Jesse Bradford, and Adam Beach -- who survived the battle going on a goodwill tour of the United States in order to sell war bonds. Many evening they are forced to reenact their famous pose, something each of them finds more and more difficult to do as they suffer from survivor's guilt. Eastwood frames the story by having one of the men's grown son (Tom McCarthy) interview his father's old comrades in order to find out more about what happened to his father. Eastwood followed this film with Letters from Iwo Jima, a second film about the battle of Iwo Jima, but told from the Japanese perspective. Flags of Our Fathers was produced by Eastwood and Steven Spielberg. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Flixster Users

70% liked it

246,567 ratings

Critics

73% liked it

192 critics

R, 2 hr. 12 min.

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Release Date: October 20, 2006

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: February 6, 2007

Stats: 11,987 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Flags of Our Fathers Flags of Our Fathers Flags of Our Fathers eagle & flag Flags of Our Fathers Ryan Phillippe Flags of Our Fathers Ryan Phillippe Flags of Our Fathers Ryan Phillippe Flags of Our Fathers eagle & flag eagle & flag & statue of liberty eagle Flags of Our Fathers Flags of Our Fathers Flags of Our Fathers Flags of Our Fathers
Upload a Photo | View All Flags of Our Fathers Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (11,987)

  • brooklynspo
    August 16, 2007
    brooklynspo
    Mission Accomplished.

    I thought it was pretty damn good. Sometimes Eastwood is most un-subtle, making his points two and three times over - but I was definitely caught up in the narrative of the reluctant "heroes". Neither the most original, nor the most coherent war movie: ... read more it feels like what it is - a Spielberg/Eastwood collaboration and there is a complete wtf? point-of-view change at the 3/4 mark.

    Note: Like an idiot, I saw this film AFTER seeing Letters From Iwo Jima. I would recommend seeing Flags first, as it carries much of the exposition of the battle which I felt was missing in Letters.
  • DreamExtractor
    September 29, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    A true masterpiece this was. Flags of Our Fathers was nothing more than terrific. There were moments when we smiled, teared up, and were in shock. The war scenes were detailed and realistic. And the story was a true work of genius, I loved it. True, the movie was confusing a... read moret times but in the need it pulls through. A truly genius film.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    October 10, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Flags Of Our Fathers is based on the non fiction by the same name by James Bradley. James Bradley's father was one of the men who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi. Clint Eastwood adaptation is a flawed but good attempt. One of the biggest problems I had with the film was that ... read morethere wasn't that many scenes on Iwo Jima. The film is about the six men who raised the flag, and we do get to see that in the film of course, but after that we get see them on a war bonds tour to raise funds for the war effort. I preferred the book personally, but Eastwood does do a good adaptations of the book. But with every adaptation, the book will always be better than film. But this is flawed and I think the second half, Letters From Iwo Jima was far superior to this film. As far as the cast is concerned they do a good job at portraying the real life men. Also I was stunned at a few casting choices, Paul Walker and Jesse Bradford for example. I think they're pretty boys who usually can't act, but I was pleasantly surprised with them in the film. Flags Of Our Fathers, takes a look at the propaganda campaign that followed the famous photograph take by Joe Rosenthal on February 23,1945. We see the impact the picture has back in America, and the US Army decide to take the six men on a war bonds tour to raise funds. With Flags Of Our Fathers we get two sides of the story, the battle itself and the raising of the flag and we get the propaganda side. Clint Eastwood has done a fairly good job at adapting this story and showing the cost of manufactured propaganda. This a good film to watch, and I did enjoy it, but the book offers a more in depth at the battle, the flag raising and the war bonds tour. Flags Of Our Fathers is a well told film and brilliant acted and directed. However there lacks something to make this film better than it is. Luckily if people felt let down by this film, the sequel, Letters From Iwo Jima definitely doesn't disappoint. I view this film as Clint Eastwood trying to find the right way in telling the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima and with Letters he manages to accomplish it. With Flags he was halfway there, and he was able to tell an important and unforgettable story. A flawed but very good film.
  • sanjurosamurai
    August 16, 2010
    sanjurosamurai
    a vastly underrated eastwood film. the movie accomplishes its epic stroke, and the often inferior cast that was put together for this film uniformly does some of the best work of their careers. next to its accompanied film, letters from iwo jima, the film isnt quite as good, pu... read moret to hold this film down as many have done is a mistake. the war sequences are very good, the production is tight, and eastwoods score is incredibly effective. a truly wonderful war film that deserves more respect.
  • ironclad1609
    July 22, 2010
    ironclad1609
    Of the two films Eastwood made about the WW2 battle for the pacific this is the American point of view (with Letters from Iwo Jima being the Japanese perspective), telling the story of the soldiers who put up the flag in that famous photo. The war scenes are very impressive, even... read more though visibly influenced by Spielberg's Private Ryan. What makes the film a bit disjointed is the non-chronological storytelling on several time levels. The main focus is on questions of the existence of heroism, comradeship and the aftermath of the political campaign the famous image triggered. That's interesting to see but gets a bit repetitive in the campaign section. Still, the message of the film is important to make and takes every aspect of glory away from the terror of war.
  • danperry17
    July 7, 2010
    danperry17
    Clint makes it look so easy. Flags of Our Fathers is another siimple, sombre film that feels again like old Hollywood, and one that (like an increasing percentage of his oeuvre) should not be missed.

    The film's only flaw may be that it's a little close to the bone. Adapted fro... read morem a memoir as it is, there are pieces that are personally important to the author and to his rendered character that the viewer may be able to do without. But this is a small criticism: the film brilliantly details the PR charade that followed Iwo Jima and its famous flag-raisers. In typical Eastwood style, the characters are realistic and say little, yet convey so much. Less is always more with Eastwood, and no one does the big-hearted ending quite like he does. Beautiful film that, though it's not perfect, is yet another quality work from a man who will go down in history as an American master.
  • flixsterman
    April 11, 2010
    flixsterman
    Not as powerful as Letters From Iwo Jima but still an important chronicle of WWII. Because it's a story told from a son's point of view, as opposed to that of a soldier, there is a sense of detachment. With the exception of a few battle scenes, this one just doesn't see... read morem to draw the audience into the story. For me, it doesn't have the same raw impact as contemporaries like Band of Brothers or Das Boot. I like this film but not nearly as much as I wanted to.
  • garyX
    April 6, 2010
    garyX
    Flags Of Our Fathers tells the story of the Allied invasion of Iwo Jima through the eyes of the six soldiers who became iconic when photographed erecting the stars and stripes on the island. Yet another beautifully accomplished and mature film from Clint Eastwood, Flags Of Our Fa... read morethers takes an unsentimental look at not only the battle itself, but also the long term psychological effect on the men that fought in it and the way in which a single piece of propaganda can have just as much of an impact as a fleet of battleships. It skillfully and believably represents the battlefield in a way that may not be as visceral as Saving Private Ryan, but still gives a feeling of what it must have been like as well as encompassing every aspect of the invasion, from the infantry landings through to the naval bombardment and air attacks which is all very impressively staged. It didn't give me the same emotional impact as its companion Letters From Iwo Jima, probably because the American side of things has been told almost ad nauseum and I felt that the film lost some steam towards the end; the most interesting charcter was Adam Beach but his inability to cope with fundamental dichotomy of "heroism" just resulted in him getting drunk and throwing up a lot. It's still a very worthy and intelligent addition to the genre, and the two films together make for a fascinating insight into recent history.
  • allan913
    March 5, 2010
    allan913
    A sweeping, amazing, astonishing, stunning, spectacular and breathtaking epic. Gripping, honest, insightful and unforgettable. A masterpiece. Director, Clint Eastwood has created another remarkable and extraordinary film classic. He truly knows how to craft something beautiful, i... read moref i had ever seen an expert perfectionist, it is Clint Eastwood. A powerful, riveting and compelling war drama of the finest arts. The battle scenes are brooding and powerfully realistic. Paul Haggis's script strips these characters down to bare bones of emotions. He's an expert perfectionist. Ryan Phillipe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford and the rest of the ensemble cast give outstanding performances. The finest and best and most detailed world war two film since Saving Private Ryan. A truly magnificent movie. A beautiful piece of film by the finest artist in fine form. A film of incredible tour de force that hits you straight in the heart.
  • ythelastman89
    January 7, 2010
    ythelastman89
    I wasn't impressed at all with Clint Eastwood's depiction of James Bradley's memoirs. It was just too impersonal and aside from Ryan Phillippe's performance , I wouldn't have cared about the character at all. The film-making was lazy on his part and it looked like a knock-off of ... read moreSaving Private Ryan.

View All Flags of Our Fathers Reviews

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert
November 30, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Eastwood's two-film project is one of the most visionary of all efforts to depict the reality and meaning of battle. Full Review

David Denby
October 23, 2006
David Denby, New Yorker

Flags of Our Fathers is an accomplished, stirring, but, all in all, rather strange movie.

David Edelstein
October 23, 2006
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

[Flags] fits into Eastwood's late-in-life agenda -- to make violence, even in self-defense, seem soul-killing, and to expose the gulf between reality and myth. After this, how can we ever again make o... Full Review

Dana Stevens
October 23, 2006
Dana Stevens, Slate

It feels disrespectful to say it, but this kind of war movie, like war itself, is starting to feel sickeningly familiar. Full Review

Tom Charity
October 21, 2006
Tom Charity, CNN.com

The full weight of a lifetime's experience has been brought to bear in the unobtrusive staging, the delicate score (by Eastwood himself), and a thoughtful, honest accounting of World War II's bloodies... Full Review

Peter Howell
October 20, 2006
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

If the larger vision in Flags is somewhat out of focus, there are many small glimpses and grace notes that show Eastwood's well-developed sense of the particular in revealing a larger truth. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
October 20, 2006
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Flags of Our Fathers is as painstaking as a documentary but without the satisfaction of a documentary or the impact of a drama. Full Review

Roger Moore
October 20, 2006
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Symbols can be moving and powerful summations of feelings. But they should never take the place of the truth. Full Review

Lisa Rose
October 20, 2006
Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger

The clichés undermine the power of the story. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
October 20, 2006
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

Eastwood storms Mt. Oscar again with Flags of Our Fathers, a stirring ode to American heroism during the battle of Iwo Jima - which also pointedly dissects how that heroism was cynically packaged for ...

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Saving Private Ryan
    Saving Private Ryan (82%)
  • Letters from Iwo Jima
    Letters from Iwo Jima (92%)
  • We Were Soldiers
    We Were Soldiers (85%)
  • From Here to Eternity
    From Here to Eternity (50%)

More Movies like Flags of Our Fathers

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Flags of Our Fath... : Watch Free on TV

Flags of Our Fathers Trivia

  • Ira Hayes was one of the Marines in this Clint Eastwood movie.  Answer »
  • Who stars in the following movies? I Know What You Did Last Summer Cruel Intentions The Way Of The Gun AntiTrust 54 Crash Little Boy Blue Flags Of Our Fathers   Answer »
  • Flags of our Fathers was a book first?  Answer »
  • Jared Leto turned down a role in Flags Of Our Fathers ?   Answer »
More Flags of Our Fathers Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Flags of Our Fathers to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?