The Pacific (DVD, 2010, 6-Disc Set)

Although it did not have the total chronology of the earlier Band of Brothers it was virtually the same treatment of the Marines in the Pacific. My father was a Pacific Marine vet and was in the same division as John Basilone when he died on Iwo Jima. These were amazing men thrust into a Dante's Inferno of tropical jungle, leeches, malaria, dysentery wher your only way out was being shot so badly you couldn't fire your gun. And against an enemy that gave no quarter. This series was based upon 2 of the finest Pacific theater biographies of the time - 1) 'With the Old Breed' by Eugene Sledge and 'A Helmet for my Pillow' by Robert Leckie. having read these previously these depictions are firly accurate of the hell these men had to pay to survive, not just to fight for their country.

Big difference from the days of Guadalcanal Diary and Sands of Iwo Jima comes this HBO series based on Eugene Sledge's book, With the Old Breed. It follows the life of several characters during WWII in the Pacific and at home. One thing the series does well is depict the living and dying conditions in the Pacific theater of operations. The series is accurate to Sledge's book which he later wrote after compliling his notes while serving in a mortar unit with the First Marine Division.
Not your Band of Brothers tightness of comradship due to the drudgery and insanity of war, it pretty accurately shows little glory in victory and the burden of war experience.
Would recommend for all boys who want to prove their courage.

The Pacific does a tremendous job of depicting what it must of been like for American soldiers in the Pacific during World War 2. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, who also have teamed up on Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, are at their very best in delivering a vivid depiction of the intense battles throughout the Pacific region. From Gaudal Canal to Iwo Jima, you follow the characters and develope a bond. The battles, very historically accurate, are visually stunning in their intensity. You can almost sense what it was like for these young men to take on an enemy who's credo was "Never surrender".

If you are a fan of war movies, or any movies for that matter, you'll love The Pacific.

Having watched "Band of Brothers" several times, I was disappointed in "The Pacific." The latter doesn't begin to rise to the quality of the former; it is almost like the producers/directors felt a need to tip their hats to the Pacific Theater of Operation, and then move quickly on to more lucrative works. In fairness, the movie does a fair job of depicting the filth and squalor of the island engagements, but it also does a bang-up job of making the Marines look like a bunch of drooling idiots. There are too many scenes in this film that just don't ring true to anyone who has spent any time in the Corps. Band of Brothers was a remarkable piece of work. The Pacific is, at best, only an average film that deserved the same attention to detail as the former. To this former Marine, the PTO was America's war in WWII.

First let me say that HBO, Steven Spielberg, and Tom Hanks deserve a standing ovation for making this epic piece of history. I just finished watching the last episode. Once I saw the first episode, I was mesmerized for the next 9 weeks! I scheduled everything on Sunday around watching "The Pacific".
Outstanding acting, incredible cinematography, great music score, realism that is scary! I'm running out of superlatives to use! It's not better, than BOB! It's just as good and just as heart warming, and gut wrenching as BOB. Both of these historical mini-series deserve equal credit. Don't let some of the reviews here influence your judgement not to watch it. Yes there are those that feel strongly about one or another, but I don't believe that was anyone's goal in making the Pacific. I believe, especially Tom Hanks, just has this compelling, passionate desire to put both theaters of WWII in the minds of both, those that served and those of us who have not. The mellow drama movies of post WWII lead many of us who did not serve, to think about WWII as a hero's time in history.