With the sounds of Hans Zimmer’s musical genius driving the score and the cinematic prowess of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks leading the way, HBO’s new miniseries “The Pacific,” arrives with all the panache and style of a fantastically done, award-winning film.
“The Pacific,” the 10-part companion miniseries to HBO’s popular 2001 miniseries “Band of Brothers,” focuses on the Pacific Theater of Operations in World War II instead of the European Theater, one not often covered by makers of wartime cinema.
The series follows the events of the United States Marine Corps’ campaign through places like Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. “The Pacific” follows true events and is based on two books written by soldiers on their experiences in the war.
Cinematically, the opening part to this miniseries is nothing short of astounding. From the first close up of a black chalk running across sketch paper, viewers will be captivated by the well-placed cinematic genius in this episode. Suffice it to say that if the other nine parts engage in this kind of technical lighting and visual brilliance, HBO is sure to have another award-winning show on their hands.
Although littered with no-name actors, “The Pacific” does not suffer even slightly from lack of talent. Each character is interesting, believable slightly distinguishable and each actor does an admirable job on camera in both dramatic and intense scenes. The camaraderie between the members of the unit is extremely well done and surprisingly free of obscenity. Light heartedness abounds and the viewer gains an accurate glimpse of the ways in which various young men deal with the realities of a cruel and traumatic war.
“The Pacific” also captures the extremely unique feelings of the American soldiers towards their Japanese enemies. Differing vastly from relations between the Germans and the Americans, the Japanese culture and world was alien to the United States at that time, and as such the soldiers are almost unable to fathom the mindset behind the Japanese actions.
Seen through the eyes of Corporal Eugene “Sledgehammer” Sledge (brilliantly depicted by James Badge Dale), the audience is swept up into this battle against a nation as foreign as anything the United States had ever experienced.
All in all, fans of wartime dramas and “Band of Brothers” are sure to be satisfied with the remaining parts in this miniseries. “The Pacific” does not disappoint, both depicting and promising a well-acted, realistic, brilliantly done chronicle of the Marine Corp’s operations in the Pacific Theater.
“The Pacific” airs every Sunday night at 9 p.m. on HBO. The first episode is available online at www.hbo.com/thepacific
