During World War II, an American navy ship is sunk by a Japanese submarine leaving 300 crewmen stranded in shark infested waters. The harrowing true story of the crew of the USS Indianapolis, who were stranded in the Philippine Sea for five days after delivering the atomic weapons that would eventually end WWII. As they awaited rescue, they endured extreme thirst, hunger, and relentless shark attacks. Years ago I read "Abandon Ship" the story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis by Richard F. Newcomb. It 's not the book the film is based on.<br/><br/>In some ways that's a pity. Although Newcomb's book was first published in 1960, it is a masterly account of the disaster and recounted events that are not in the film. I always remembered his description of the strong swimmers who rode herd on their weaker comrades pulling them back when they drifted away until they themselves used up their reserves of energy and drowned - many of the bravest acts of WW2 were not necessarily in the heat of battle.<br/><br/>Somewhere along the way, much of the drama leaked from this film.<br/><br/>It's unusual these days to see a movie where the special effects are not absolutely dazzling. They might be a cut above the old Hollywood bathtub effects, but the limitations of the effects in this film draw attention away from the story.<br/><br/>But that isn't the key weakness in "USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage".<br/><br/>Although Nicholas Cage gives a fine performance as Captain McVay, and the ending does have some punch, the filmmakers weren't content with what really happened, and added some very predicable fictional elements. Was it really necessary for Craig Tate and Johnny Wactor's characters to duplicate the scene from "Titanic" where Kate Winslet saves Leonardo DiCaprio from imprisonment in the nick of time? It's the forced backstories that rob the film of stature.<br/><br/>There was no need to expend so much energy on the fake elements. Here is a passage from Newcomb's book describing what happened when the pilot of the PV-1 Ventura who first spotted the men in the water, Lieutenant Gwinn, was taken aboard the hospital ship "Tranquility" and introduced to the survivors as the guy who found them. <br/><br/>"Men in all stages of recovery, some weak and hollow-eyed on their beds shouted cheered and whispered. Those who could, crowded around and thumped him on the back, laughing and jumping. Some merely turned their heads on their pillows and cried softly, and the quiet, reticent Gwinn himself broke down under the flood of emotion".<br/><br/>I think I would have had that scene in my movie. As a naval officer with twenty years service, I must say this film disgusts me. They made no effort to learn the true story of the gallant ship and crew or even worse, they ignored a great story to make a senseless travesty. They also made no effort to learn any of the customs and traditions of our great service. There is a grievous error in every scene. I only wish there were sufficient relatives of direct lineage left to sue these people and shame them in court. One of my best friends drove a wounded ship to safety after a series of kamikaze attacks. That brave act was dramatized in the wonderful film, Away All Boats. If you want to see how we fought, how we dressed for combat and how we cared for each and our ship , get a copy. This film shames all who served with honor. "USS Indianapolis” is a World War II “epic” that’s overscaled yet underimagined. It’s a tale of survival that never provides the audience with a basic entry point into how and why we should care.
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354 weeks ago