REEL CRITICS -- DOUBLE TAKE:Close-up on the brutal Iwo Jima fight

Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg have teamed up for a stunning and painful meditation on the true nature of war. But in “Letters From Iwo Jima,” they tell the story of the famous 1945 Pacific Battle entirely from the Japanese perspective. The camera lens is sharply focused on the brutal reality of life in the trenches and tunnels for the doomed foot soldiers of the empire.

The story reveals uncommon humanity and depth in the Japanese draftees who are forced to do the fatal bidding of their generals and politicians. Those who face the terror of the front lines know the dark side of duty, honor and country that their distant leaders will never understand. Eastwood’s sensitivity to the story and remarkable directing drew outstanding performances from a cast of excellent Japanese actors.

The battle scenes feature state-of-the-art special effects that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The grim reality of the soldiers’ fate is presented in the most painful and honest terms. And yet, Eastwood finds ways to inject subtle hope and even humor into this terrible chapter in modern history. A remarkable film that is sure to get attention from the Academy.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office.

View from the other side of the front lines

Clint Eastwood’s filmmaking artistry has become so legendary, his name over a title alone is enough to ensure a film of elegance, grace and understated truths.

He took on the ambitious project of making back-to-back films about the horrific battle of Iwo Jima in 1945, in which 6,825 Americans and more than 20,000 Japanese soldiers were killed.

The previously released “Flags of Our Fathers” examined the weeks-long conflict from the American point of view, particularly of the men in the famous photo of the flag raised on Mt. Suribachi.

Now in “Letters From Iwo Jima,” Eastwood puts faces to the Japanese soldiers on that island, using Japanese actors in their native language. In this story, the American flag on Suribachi is seen from far away as a footnote — a subtle reminder about the change in perspective.

Based on recently discovered letters written home by Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe, who was excellent), the film gives only a little insight into the combat tactics and the serious disadvantages the Japanese faced at this point in the war.

But it’s soon clear that the men are on a mission of inevitable defeat. Without hope of air or naval reinforcements, and inadequate supplies of water, food, ammunition and medicine, the men are ordered to fight until the bitter end with honor. Some officers are in sharp disagreement with the general, adding to the soldiers’ confusion.

Those expecting to see a typical war epic may be disappointed with this more intimate approach. Eastwood gets his audience involved by revealing some of the men’s background and personal stories. He reminds us that every soldier is also someone’s son, husband, father, friend.

It’s a brave achievement to show the humanity on both sides of a war, warts and all, without diminishing either.

SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.