Opening with firepower reminiscent of "Saving Private Ryan," Flags has a hard time finding focus. During the first act, the dialogue and direction play too much like old hokey films. Part of the problem is that the acting on the whole is mediocre or less. The strong actors don't step up, and the incidental characters don't spark. The film takes quite a while to find itself.

Despite a robust military storming the beaches of Iwo Jima, the film still doesn't spark until John Slattery's commanding appearance as Bud Gerber. Bud commandeers the three flag holders in a PR meeting stateside and explains to them a new incarnation of serving their country. Slattery injects momentum.

From there on in, the film blossoms, flashing back, flashing forward, nestling into a nice beat for its story telling. And the story is an interesting one, the one behind the picture -- the picture of six soldiers hoisting up the American flag on Japan soil. As with most good stories, a picture doesn't tell the half of it. That said, I appreciated the photo collage of the actual flag-raisers that ran along with the ending credits.

The film is well cast with good performances from Ryan Phillippe and Adam Beach (as Ira). And though the production decidedly displays the gore of war, it's the bond of friendship that'll give you something warm to take home.

Producer Spielberg says of Director Eastwood: "'Lessness is Bestness' he likes to say -- and that applies especially to his own ego and his dependence on trust. Trust -- in his cast, in his crew -- reflects Clint's own trust in himself, in his own instincts, whether he's casting or choosing material or setting up a shot."

Writer James Bradley says, "I never set out to write a book -- I set out to find out why my dad was silent... I decided to write the book when I realized that everyone knows the photo, but nobody knows the story."

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