MovieChat Forums > Unbroken (2014) Discussion > He seemed pretty broken to me

He seemed pretty broken to me

posted 10 years ago by trickg1
45 replies | jump to latest

I came away from this movie a bit perplexed. From my perspective, Zamperini was the only one who WAS broken, and the film didn't do a very good job of showing how he was singled out and tormented by "The Bird" Watanabe.

Based on some things I've read, the Bird would specifically search him out to pick on him due to both is status as an officer and his status as an Olympic athlete. In the movie, we only saw a few incidents where he was abused by the Bird, and in the end, he was the only one who looked broken and hollow by the end - the rest of the troops all seemed to be doing much better than him.

That's just my perspective though, and I'm curious to hear what others think about it.

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[–] lexyladyjax 9 years ago

I came away from this movie a bit perplexed. From my perspective, Zamperini was the only one who WAS broken, and the film didn't do a very good job of showing how he was singled out and tormented by "The Bird" Watanabe.

Real war is not like an action movie with big explosions and huge ending scenes. This is real life. He was unbroken. My uncle served in the war. He told me that the book was true to the experiences of himself and his comrades in arms. His friends were Japanese POWs and that they were tortured exactly like Zamp.

Zamp survived everything the Bird threw at him and then some. He lived. He got up every time. In the end it was Watanabe who ran away. Zamp had said he would kill him and my impression is that Zamp went to do that very thing: kill the *beep* out of his enemy.

The Bird later refused to meet with Zamperini to be forgiven. Watanabe spent years in hiding as a criminal wanted by the US for war crimes. Eventually he was pardoned but it doesn't seem as though he overcame Japan's loss of the war.

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[–] akshayug05 9 years ago

that means he is undead!

[–] cevyn-injekkt 9 years ago

For me, I think the title could actually be in reference to his refusal to waiver and acquiesce to The Bird.

It even described how much hatred he had for him and why he refused to look him in the eyes, why he would not give The Bird the satisfaction of falling to the ground with each blow... defiance.

Louie has always been defiant, since as a young lad. The single emotion is what pushed himself beyond his will. In the end, it really was about having dignity. It is what defines us as humans, no?

Dignity is what made him "Unbroken".

[–] kouyang-75220 9 years ago

He got broken many times in this movie...

[–] Captain_Wesker 9 years ago

Are you certain?

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] smoko 9 years ago

@trickg1 From my perspective, Zamperini was the only one who WAS broken...
Stop bumming me out.

[–] KartofflMuter 9 years ago

Every one who goes to war is broken in some way, large or small. My father was conscripted by the German Army and the Hungarian Navy. He returned looking and acting normally.We did have to flee from the Russians who threatened our lives because of his forced war allegiance. He died at 56.He was a cheerful, man who was never ill, always friendly, a born salesman, a certified accountant, spoke 4 or 5 languages, and enjoyed going for long walks, whistling, and singing, and making me laugh. War kills the dead and the living.

[–] Augustus_Octavian 9 years ago

Louis repeatedly provoked him, and was a known troublemaker from childhood. Also bear in mind that Japan did not sign the Geneva Convention.

[–] boutetr 8 years ago

Also bear in mind that Japan did not sign the Geneva Convention.

Japan did sign the 1929 Geneva convention on the sick and wounded. They may not have signed the one regarding POW's but in 1942, they did promise to abide by its rules.

[–] Augustus_Octavian 8 years ago

The Convention was not ratified. Well, you know what they say about promises, especially verbal promises.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] 8 years ago

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