I have been waiting for a long time for a feature film to be made on this tragedy (There was a TV movie, Mission of the Shark). My grandfather was one of the survivors so I have some emotional ties, but I will not let that sway my opinion. This movie is NOT as bad as a lot of these reviews make it out to be. I think people complain just to complain about movies and Nicolas Cage and they don't look at these films objectively. One reviewer mentioned all of the factual inaccuracies but fails to mention any of them. The movie was based on Doug Stanton's 'In Harms Way' and from what I know, it and the film stick to the main facts. The CGI was pretty bad in some spots, but that is a limitation based on budget. There were some unnecessary subplots such as the love triangle, which seemed to be a complete ripoff from Pearl Harbor. Some of the scenes were drawn out a little too long, especially when they were in the water, but I think they really wanted to demonstrate in a 2-hour film just how long these guys were in the water...four and a half days is a long time. All things considered, this film is worth watching for sure. Go into it with the attitude of learning about this tragedy and not expecting to be blown away with special effects and terrific acting. I think if people do that, they will appreciate the film much more.
Not Bad-Worth Watching To Learn About the Navy's Worst Tragedy at Sea
15 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers