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I was hoping it would entertain me as much as 'Flags of Our Fathers' had - and I'm pleased to say it did!
I'd say that aforementioned release pips this companion piece, but the difference in quality is virtually indistinguishable - both are very good films. Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya and Ryo Kase all give excellent performances, I enjoyed that trio throughout 'Letters from Iwo Jima'.
It's really cool to see the Japanese point of view of the Battle of Iwo Jima, having previously seen the American view last time out. It's also pleasing that the film portrays this side of the story correctly and tells the tale in Japanese, despite being an all-American production. The film reportedly did well in Japan, which I guess confirms that it did a respectable job.