10 Best Films Set In The Pacific War

10. Hell In The Pacific

Hell in the Pacific is an atmospheric, tough, and deeply human story about two enemies stranded together on a desolate Pacific island.

Two nameless men, an American pilot played by Lee Marvin and a Japanese soldier played by Toshiro Mifune, share the terrible fate of crash-landing on the same uninhabited island. With no escape and no way to contact the outside world, they are reduced to scrambling against each other on the rocks, battling over the meagre resources that the island has to offer.

There is little dialogue, and Mifune's words go untranslated. A great deal of the storytelling takes place visually, and a lot of the emotional texture of the film comes - as well as from the great performances - from its vibrant score and sound design.

The soldiers fight, mistreat, and mistrust one another for a great deal of the movie. Eventually, they come to a grudging peace and begin to cooperate on building a raft for an escape. Ultimately, they travel to another island, where they find civilization - in the form of an abondoned military installation - and begin to remember their humanity.

It's a slow-burner, but this story of two men who grow from bitter enemies into firm friends is remarkable, compasionate, and essential.