Although there have been great war films ever since the earliest days of cinema, the groundbreaking limited seriesBand of Brotherswas a game-changing television event that changed HBO forever. Unlike past prestige television productions,Band of Brothershailed from producersSteven SpielbergandTom Hanks, who established a sizable budget crafting an in-depth exploration of the exploits of the men in “Easy Company” throughout World War II. AlthoughBand of Brotherswas so gritty thatit became miserable for the actors to shoot, it ultimately tells an uplifting story about the power of heroism to confront unsustainable evil. Comparatively,Band of Brothers’ sequel seriesThe Pacificwas a far more caustic analysis of the loss of humanity during combat.The darker, more intense series captured the same brutality asBand of Brothersbut drew entirely different conclusions about the merits of warfare.
The Pacific
A companion piece to the WWII miniseries Band of Brothers, The Pacific chronicles the lives of three Marines in the 1st Marine Division and their actions in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War. Based on the lives of real men who fought in the war, The Pacific focuses on some of the war’s most well-known battles, such as Guadalcanal and the Battle of Iwo Jima. James Badge Dale, Jon Seda, and Joseph Mazzello star as the three main focuses of the series.
What Is ‘The Pacific’ About?
WhileBand of Brothersfollows a large ensemble of characters during their service in several key battles in Europe,The Pacificexamines the Allies’ campaign to seize Asian territories during World War II.LikeBand of Brothers,The Pacificwas based on a true story,and drew inspiration from the memoirsWith the Old Breed: At Peleliu and OkinawaandChina Marine, the nonfiction novelHelmet for My Pillow,and the historical accountRed Blood, Black Sand. Although these sources provided important historical facts and figures about the specific battles depicted in the series, their value added the perspective of the soldiers that had served. By incorporating key details about the realities of serving overseas and the mindset of the soldiers,The Pacificwas able to capture a more authentic depiction of what the war was actually like.
It was also a much less sprawling series thanBand of Brothers, asThe Pacificprimarily focuseson three main characterswhose exploits are chronicled both before and after the war. The series begins by showing the future soldiers Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale), Eugene Sledge (Joseph Mazzello), and John Basilone (Jon Seda) during the moments before the attack on Pearl Harbor initiates the United States’ involvement in World War II. The scenes are crucial, as it was important to establish what these characters’ reality looked like before they were exposed to the hell of war. Somehow,the most gripping moments ofThe Pacificin the heat of combat feel all the more heartbreaking when compared to the charming innocence of these early scenes.
‘The Pacific’ Has a Great Ensemble Cast
While the series never seems to lionize warfare itself,The Pacificshows that each soldier’s story is differentby exploring their motivations for joining the war. Like many of his brothers-in-arms, Leckie immediately enlists in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, as he feels that it is his duty to protect the nation. Despite his initially nationalistic rhetoric, Leckie begins to understand the ramifications of the war, as he is exposed to significant violence and undergoes severe psychological trauma. It’s heartbreaking to watch the radical shifts within Leckie’s personality; he goes from being a charismatic ladies’ man before the war to a stern, cynical recluse.The show’s earnest depiction of mental health traumamakes it stand out in comparison to other nonfiction depictions of warfare.
Similarly,Mazzello’s performance as Sledge conveys the loss of innocence in warfareas he’s forced to question the value of his service. Sledge’s story is among the most empathetic, as he is initially denied the chance to serve due to his physical meekness and overbearing father. Although Sledge is able to survive the physical rigors of boot camp, the hectic firefights of the Pacific Theater give him severe PTSD, making it hard for him to find the same passion for the service that he did prior to entering the conflict. The scenes focusing on his reunion with his family are absolutely gut-wrenching, as it is clear that he is not the same man that he was before. Although Mazzello was previously best known for his role asTim Murphy in theJurassic Parkfranchise,The Pacificcertainly proves his merits as a dramatic actor.
Although he doesn’t appear until the middle of the series,Rami Malek’s performance as Snafu Shelton gives the series additional emotional weight.Although Snafu’s excitability often gets the better of him, he becomes the friend that Sledge needs during the brutal Battle of Okinawa. The quiet, reflective moments between these two men, as they reflect on their futures, are among the most tender scenes in the entire series; it was important forThe Pacificto show what these men were actually fighting for.Malek’s terrific performanceended up becoming one of his most important breakout roles.
‘The Pacific’ Has More Brutal Combat Scenes Than ‘Band of Brothers’
WhileBand of Brothershas some truly heart-pounding moments,The Pacificfeatures even more intense depictions of combatthat focused on the chaotic nature of war. It becomes hard to distinguish friend from foe when the bullets are flying at such rapid rates, and the series does a great job of showing how overwhelming these battlefields are for men like Sledge and Snafu. The show explores that in reality, war is nothing like what they experienced in boot camp, and they can’t expect their opponents to have the chivalry that they do. The series heads in a darker direction as it shows how soldiers on both sides begin to sacrifice their humanity as they fall prey to their darkest desires.
ThePacificgoes beyond the confines of the combat fieldby showing what life was like for the soldiers after the war’s conclusion.The Pacific’s final episode, ”Home,”shows how Leckie, Sledge, and Snafu are so burdened by what they witnessed that adjusting back to a “normal” life is a significant challenge. After witnessing the brutality that their fellow man was capable of, having optimism about the future is much more difficult. While most World War II stories tend to idealize the “coming home” aspect of the story,The Pacificexamines the lasting ramifications that these soldiers’ experiences have on the rest of their lives.
The Pacificis available to stream on Max.
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