Review Detail
9.7 5 10
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
From the early days of this site, it seems to me that a lot of the classic fanedit bangers belonged to ADigitalMan. Unfortunately, many of those early edits did not have the quality of A/V that we would want today, and many have slipped into obscurity and unavailability. His version of Pearl Harbor for example is one that I had been searching for literally since I joined the site. I'm actually a fan of the original film, but the premise of dropping out romantic elements to focus on the brotherhood of the pilots seemed like a great idea. So I'm beyond pleased to see that Spence has faithfully recreated this edit, and that yes, it works just as well as I'd hoped!
In terms of the A/V quality, I know I don't have the highest quality setup, but even the small file size was great for me. I caught one stray frame at about 1h19m and a slight audio interruption at about 1h38m, but other than that this is a flawless edit that you'd never know had any cuts unless you'd heard the original story. There are some "hanging chads" if you will of the romantic angle, like some moments between Rafe and Danny that can be interpreted as personal tension when there doesn't seem to be any cause, or Danny writing to this nurse back in Pearl Harbor who he only seemed to have a mild flirtation with. But these can also be brushed off as simply the tension of the situation or as background-building for the characters -- nothing you need to flesh out or spend time on in a movie so large and busy.
In short, for those who'd never seen the original film, this is hands-down the way to watch. You'll be shocked to find that it initially had a mixed reception, as the version here is powerful and moving and fast-paced, coming in at just over 2 hours. For those who found the original uneven in tone and a bit overlong, there is every reason to give it a second chance with this cut. It seems almost impossible to just completely remove the romance from the film, but that's basically what's happened here, and it works amazingly well. Thanks to Spence for making available the perfect edit for a Memorial Day weekend watch!
In terms of the A/V quality, I know I don't have the highest quality setup, but even the small file size was great for me. I caught one stray frame at about 1h19m and a slight audio interruption at about 1h38m, but other than that this is a flawless edit that you'd never know had any cuts unless you'd heard the original story. There are some "hanging chads" if you will of the romantic angle, like some moments between Rafe and Danny that can be interpreted as personal tension when there doesn't seem to be any cause, or Danny writing to this nurse back in Pearl Harbor who he only seemed to have a mild flirtation with. But these can also be brushed off as simply the tension of the situation or as background-building for the characters -- nothing you need to flesh out or spend time on in a movie so large and busy.
In short, for those who'd never seen the original film, this is hands-down the way to watch. You'll be shocked to find that it initially had a mixed reception, as the version here is powerful and moving and fast-paced, coming in at just over 2 hours. For those who found the original uneven in tone and a bit overlong, there is every reason to give it a second chance with this cut. It seems almost impossible to just completely remove the romance from the film, but that's basically what's happened here, and it works amazingly well. Thanks to Spence for making available the perfect edit for a Memorial Day weekend watch!
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
M