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Letters From Iwo Jima

Play trailer Poster for Letters From Iwo Jima R 2007 2h 21m War History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 201 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Long-buried missives from the island reveal the stories of the Japanese troops who fought and died there during World War II. Among them are Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya), a baker; Baron Nishi (Tsuyoshi Ihara), an Olympic champion; and Shimizu (Ryô Kase), an idealistic soldier. Though Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) knows he and his men have virtually no chance of survival, he uses his extraordinary military skills to hold off American troops as long as possible.
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Letters From Iwo Jima

Letters From Iwo Jima

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Critics Consensus

A powerfully humanistic portrayal of the perils of war, this companion piece to Flags of our Fathers is potent and thought-provoking, and it demonstrates Clint Eastwood's maturity as a director.

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Critics Reviews

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Brian Tallerico UGO Mar 24, 2007
Instead of showing us the differences between the three men, Eastwood chooses to illustrate how much they were alike and, more importantly, how much they resemble you and me. Go to Full Review Derek Malcolm London Evening Standard Feb 23, 2007
4/5
The whole is a more satisfactory entity than Flags of Our Fathers - and the final scene, which has veterans and relatives scouring the tunnels and caves for the buried letters, is a suitably moving coda. Go to Full Review Anthony Quinn Independent (UK) Feb 23, 2007
3/5
Eastwood and his cinematographer Tom Stern have done a superb and possibly unique job in showing both sides of this dreadful battle, and the pair of films together already look monumental. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Jul 28, 2026
It’s almost a mirror to 'Flags of Our Fathers,' putting the audience into the suffocating caves with the [Japanese] soldiers and officers of a doomed army charged with fighting to the death and certain defeat. Go to Full Review David Walsh World Socialist Web Site Feb 14, 2021
One must give Eastwood a good deal of credit ... To make a film about the suffering "your" soldiers endure is one thing, to make one about the horrors inflicted on the "enemy" is something else again. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Nov 21, 2020
6/10
Infinitely more compelling than its predecessor, yet equally lengthy and ill-paced. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robert P @Superbad Sep 7, 2026 This movie is definately a 4 and 1/2 star movie! See more Garrett B @gmoney637 May 17, 2026 A visually emotional war film that delivers with great cinematic effect. See more Pedro O @pedrohob91 Feb 27, 2026 Clint Eastwood masterfully explores a rarely portrayed perspective of war, handling the material with restraint and sensitivity. His direction highlights both the human dimension of the conflict and the strength of Ken Watanabe’s performance. See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing Jun 26, 2025 Another wonderfully directed gem from Eastwood. Similar to some of his other classics (i.e. Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby), it was magical in a very subtle yet profound way that is unique to his directing style. See more Isaiah Y @zayman2 Jun 12, 2025 One of Clint Eastwood's best films and best war films of the century so far See more El Queso G @RT98151722 Feb 9, 2025 This may be the best war movie ever made. See more Read all reviews
Letters From Iwo Jima

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Cast & Crew

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Clint Eastwood

Director

Ken Watanabe

Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi

Kazunari Ninomiya

Saigo

Tsuyoshi Ihara

Baron Nishi

Ryô Kase

Shimizu

Shido Nakamura

Lt. Ito

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Letters From Iwo Jima

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Movie Info

Synopsis Long-buried missives from the island reveal the stories of the Japanese troops who fought and died there during World War II. Among them are Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya), a baker; Baron Nishi (Tsuyoshi Ihara), an Olympic champion; and Shimizu (Ryô Kase), an idealistic soldier. Though Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) knows he and his men have virtually no chance of survival, he uses his extraordinary military skills to hold off American troops as long as possible.
Director
Clint Eastwood
Producer
Steven Spielberg, Robert Lorenz
Screenwriter
Iris Yamashita
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Amblin Entertainment, Warner Bros., Malpaso Company, DreamWorks SKG
Rating
R (Graphic War Violence)
Genre
War, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 9, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$13.8M
Runtime
2h 21m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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