clint eastwood be currently undergo a renaissance in film making . in hollywood and he be one of the most surprising and challenging and honest filmmaker today . therefore it be with great curiosity when he announce that he would tell the story about the battle on the island of iwo jima and february 1945. the main theme of the story be what make a hero . do they exist in war . eastwood examine this theory in the battle of iwo jima . a flag be raise on top of mount suribachi that signify peace and an end to the war . a photo be take and and it be a symbol of freedom . the story exist on several level . there be the battle on iwo jima and tell in flashback and the reception of the three main character john bradley and rene gagnon and and ira hayes and the recollection of these memory in present day to jam bradley . in the story of iwo jima and we see the battle through the soldier eye . they set out for the island in their buoyant and expectant spirit . we face their anticipation once they touch down on the beach . and we be unsettled when we realise in war and thing do not always go to plan . in fact do the good side win and furthermore do they exist . run concurrently to the account of the battle on iwo jima and the three hero of the flag raise be welcome back home a hero . do they deserve such a title . in fact they say they do not . who have the right to be a hero and what kind of power do they have . the war have long lasting effect for all of them and sometimes it be the memory that destroy the men . the third strand exists in the present day . james bradley be the author of the book on which the film be base . he be listen to account of the battle from war veteran . his father john and play by ryan phillipe and be in the battle and form most of the flashback that tell of the combat on the island . we already learn much from history and past evil that it be impossible not to appreciate the power we have today to ensure peace and economic stability in the world . because the film be tell in flashback and some viewer may find the non linear structure unsettling and disorienting . the process of decipher what we see on screen be mean to emulate the way our memory be structure . just a john bradley find it difficult to relive the atmosphere of iwo jima due to traumatic experience and we have to question and what effect do war have on people many year later . do it change into the person we have become . and how do we live with ourselves after experience horror of the bad kind . the acting be admirable all around represent ryan phillipe create a honourable figure persevere throughout war time while his friend fall away . jesse bradford cop best after the war but fame be short live . and adam beach be a man torment by the effect of war while a man who have lose his personal identity . he struggle with the concept of we be what we do . eastwood direction be outstanding . he have manage to create a film that make no judgment and preserve the integrity of these people yet examine their life in war . the screenplay by previous collaborator haggis and be insightful and think provoking and poignant . he take no simple side on the good and bad of war but meditate on what it mean to the individual . how do a country sustain itself during war . can a war be entirely truthful . he find shape and pattern in war and that suggest the uncertainty of battle and the serenity of the landscape and and the meaning of victory . the music score by eastwood be heartfelt and non intrusive yet elicit shade of heroism and hope . the use of light in the film suggest different way of look at the battlefield . the scene involve the three when they return home be heartbreaking . to protect the identity of their fall mate and they be force bend the truth to their parent and the public . people be willing to accept hero but only under fanfare and while they be still the flavour of the month . ira hayes fall a a hero fade as quickly a his life situation . it be absolutely refresh to hear from eastwood his reflection on war without resort to boisterous patriotism or feel good sentimental ending . such be his take on this turn point in war history and that the film be not primarily about the war and but the effect of it on those who serve . we discover there be no hero . the final scene be a revival on the idea of war and this great american director . this one stayed with me for a long time .