Entertainment
'The Railway Man' Is Based on a True Story Like These Other War Films You've Gotta See
The new trailer for inevitable Oscar bait The Railway Man was released Wednesday, and it features some thrilling clips from Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. What's more incredible though, is the true story its based on — the life of Eric Lomax, a British soldier who was a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during WWII. After the war, Lomax found the Japanese interpreter who he held responsible and forgave him before his death in 2012.
The trailer is a good bit more exciting than the real thing, but it reminds us that not all war films are simply Halo in theatres — some of them are real stories that happened to real people.
The new trailer for inevitable Oscar bait The Railway Man was released Wednesday, and it features some thrilling clips from Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. What's more incredible though, is the true story its based on — the life of Eric Lomax, a British soldier who was a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during WWII. After the war, Lomax found the Japanese interpreter who he held responsible and forgave him before his death in 2012.
The trailer is a good bit more exciting than the real thing, but it reminds us that not all war films are simply Halo in theatres — some of them are real stories that happened to real people.
'Defiance'
The movie: Defiance told the story of a group led by four Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe who escape to the forests, join Russian resistance forces, and build a village to protect themselves and other Jewish citizens.
The reality: Defiance is based on the Bielski partisans, an organization of Jewish partisans in western Belarus who fought Nazi occupiers and saved Jewish citizens. Organized by the four Bielski brothers, the group lived in the forest for over two years and saved more than 1,000 Jewish citizens.
Should you see it? The movie got mixed reviews, and like many films that portray historical events, it received many accusations of attempting to rewrite history. But if you're interested in the story, you can always read Defiance: The Bielski Partisans, the book that the movie is based on.
'Glory'
The movie: The movie is about the struggles of the first formal all African-American unit of the U.S. army during the Civil War, from the unit's formation to their failed siege of Fort Wagner.
The reality: The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was commissioned after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation and was one of the first African-American units in America during the Civil War. Although the unit suffered a significant defeat at Fort Sumter, they continued to fight throughout the Civil War and became widely acclaimed, encouraging further enlistment of African-American soldiers and troops.
Should you see it? It was nominated for five Academy Awards, one of which was won by Denzel Washington for Best Supporting Actor ... so, yeah.
'Jarhead'
The movie: Jarhead follows Anthony Swofford, a U.S. Marine who serves as a sniper in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia before Desert Storm. The film focuses on the struggles, both in battle and internally, that the men face in a war with very little combat.
The reality: Anthony Swofford was a real U.S. Marine, and the movie was based on his memoir of the same name. Swofford describes the reality of seeing warfare and spends much of the book describing what kind of toll the nearly constant waiting took on the soldiers.
Should you see it? Probably. It received solid (but not great) reviews, and Jake Gyllenhaal's performance was especially lauded. Also, Jake Gyllenhaal.
