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Created Feb 04, 2011 10:50PM PST • Edited Feb 04, 2011 10:50PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Great 4.0

   One thing is for sure: There’s nothing tougher than a WWII South Pacific Jarhead. Spielberg and Hanks do an admirable job creating the Pacific version of ‘Band of Brothers’. The South Pacific version is much grittier and gut-wrenchingly raw. As someone commented in the movie – those Army guys had it easy in Europe compared to the blood and guts mud stomping marine experience. It is easy to form a bond with the guys that this mini-series follows. Recreations of all the famous Marine battles, as well as R&R In Australia, and the eventual troubled experiences after the journey home. The sheer brutality of what those Marines went through was amazing. I will forever hold a special appreciation for what they did, and this movie does a bang-on job of helping you understand what it probably was like.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Joseph Mazello (‘The Social Network’), James Dale, Jon Seda (‘The Closer’, ‘Hawaii 5-0’, ‘Burn Notice’, and other TV series) and my favorite Rami Malek (‘Twilight’, ‘24’) all do commendable jobs.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Really Great 4.5

    You pretty much can’t go wrong with executive direction from Hanks and Spielberg. Well shot, well acted, excellent choice of story lines. Huge entertainment.

11. Direction Really Great 4.5

12. Play Really Great 4.5

13. Music Really Great 4.5

14. Visuals Really Great 4.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 2.6

    Some pretty brutal stuff – not for the faint of heart. Of course, unless you play ‘Call of Duty’ on your XBox, then you’ll be used to it.

17. Sex Erotic 2.6

18. Violence Brutal 2.6

19. Rudeness Profane 2.6

21. Reality

    Glib 1.2

    Despite the amazing level of brutality, you just know that real-life was probably worse.

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.2

23. Biological Glib 1.2

24. Physical Glib 1.2