10 Best Films Set In The Pacific War

Forget Michael Bay's brainless romantic cheesefest. If you want a great military movie about Pearl Harbour, Tora! Tora! Tora! is the one to watch.

"Tora" is the Japanese codeword indicating the achievement of complete strategic surprise. The Japanese destruction of the American fleet stationed at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii was the disaster that initiated the war in the Pacific, and it came as a total shock to the American military command, who did not believe that the Japanese would be audacious enough to strike Pearl Harbour.

It was a rude awakening, a loss of the kind that America would not experience for another half century. The Japanese air squadrons appeared as if from nowhere and very quickly inflicted catastrophic damage.

Tora! Tora! Tora! is an extraordinary war movie, with an almost unmatched commitment to historical accuracy. It has no stars, as the filmmakers considered that the recognisable faces of A-listers would distract from the story, and it includes many real service members in its remarkable supporting cast.

The film has also made an unforgettable contribution to the lexicon of amazing movie quotes. Reflecting on the attack, Admiral Yamamoto says that "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."