DVD Reviews

The Pacific – DVD Review

By Patrick Luce Nov 10, 2010, 16:32 GMT

The Pacific is an epic 10-part miniseries that delivers a realistic portrait of WWII\'s Pacific Theatre as seen through the intertwined odysseys of three U.S. Marines - Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge. The extraordinary experiences of these men and their fellow Marines take them from the first clash with the Japanese in the haunted jungles of Guadalcanal, through the impenetrable rain firests of Cape Gloucester, across the blasted ...more

Produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman, The Pacific grips you instantly with a powerful story and reminds you of the sacrifice soldiers made during World War II – specifically the U.S. Marines fighting in the Pacific against the Japanese.

The 10-part HBO mini-series comes to DVD housed in an incredible looking metal case and is a perfect companion to HBO’s equally great World War II series Band of Brothers.

The Pacific is based in part on the books Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie, and With the Old Breed by Eugene B. Sledge with additional story material from Red Blood, Black Sand by Chuck Tatum and China Marine by Eugene B. Sledge. I mention the source material because of the level of detail that went into getting this series right and honoring the men who fought and died during the various battles covered throughout the series.

Unlike Band of Brothers, The Pacific focuses primarily on three Marines – Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale), Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazzello), and John Basilone (Jon Seda) – as they take part in various stages of the Pacific theater of World War II. Possibly due to the island settings and conditions, the series also seems to have a tad harsher tone and look to it than Band of Brothers.

The series kicks off with Robert Leckie and the 1st Marines landing on Guadalcanal and finding themselves unequipped for a long stay as they also have to deal with their part in the Battle of the Tenaru. During this first part, we also get several flashbacks to life before the war, and start to quickly see the toil this war is going to take on these men.

The first episode establishes a brutal pace and conditions for the soldiers and sets the tone for how grim the series will be. With the exception of a quick shore leave to Australia and some time spent with Basilone stateside as he trains new recruits, The Pacific stays focused on the fighting and the heavy price that was paid by the soldiers.

Major events covered during the series include Cape Gloucester; Peleliu (where the Marines are task with capturing a small but vital airfield and forced to pay a heavy cost to take it); the historical landing at Iwo Jima; landing at Okinawa; and finally the Japanese surrender and the return home for the soldiers.

In between the fighting, the series spends its time showing the bonds that are made and broken by the soldiers – who are often left starving, without proper gear, and close to breaking (there is an episode where Marines knock out dead Japanese soldiers’ teeth for the gold fillings).

These episodes show the heavy price the men who fought this war paid, but also make you question why the government wasn’t properly prepared to give the men what they needed to survive. There is a crushing moment where the Marines (who have been left on an island and have been starving) are finally reinforced and picked up by the Navy only discover they are too late for dinner.

These scenes are extremely powerful thanks to the level of talent that makes up The Pacific’s cast. Seda, Dale, and Mazzello are all extremely good in their roles with Dale seeming to carry the mental cost of the war, Mazzello witnessing the heaviest horrors of the war, and Seda (who is given the chance to stay stateside and train new recruits, but volunteers to return to war) showing the dedication of the Marines who fought in the Pacific theater.

Along with stellar performances from its cast, The Pacific also brings a tremendous level of detail to each episode – which gives the series almost a documentary feel at times. Just like in Band of Brothers, the series’ creators and producers seemed to spare no expense in getting every detail right – no matter how big or small. These Marines went through hell, and the show’s creators and producers made sure that it reflected in the faces and costuming of the actors.

Along with the incredible 10 episodes, the set is worth the purchase price thanks to the special features that take you further into The Pacific. The features include a look at how the series was made and the hardships that were involved in getting it right.

There is also a great feature that takes you into lives of the main characters with a look at their families, war experiences and life after the war. Finally, there is also a look at the Pacific theater of World War II itself.

Thanks to its unrelenting look at the struggles of the Marines who fought and its level of realism and detail, The Pacific is a hard series to sit through, but one that will help you remember why it is important to never forget the sacrifices that were made there. The DVD set is a great companion to Band of Brothers, but also stands on its own thanks to a different look, feel and approach to its story. I highly recommend it.

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