This is the much anticipated series on the Marines, and especially three very famous Marines, in the Pacific war. Following on the heels of Band of Brothers, an absolutely superb book and HBO series, it had giant shoes to fill and it failed at that, but I don't think that that is what it was trying to do, anyway. The Pacific is a far darker series than BoB was. After watching BoB you can away inspired and very grateful to these guys for what they did (I mean the actual soldiers). After watching The Pacific, the overwhelming sentiment is of sorrow and pity for what the Marines endured in the Pacific war. And as for Sergeant Basilone, a bottomless sense of sadness at the heroic end of a really, really great Marine. If you read Lieke's and Sledge's books, and you should, you do not get nearly that "down" a sentiment. I get the impression that Spielberg and Hanks felt that BoB was too up-lifting and, for lack of a better term, too "glorifying" of the war in Europe and set out to balance that with The Pacific. A peculiar thing in the HBO series is that while it is based on Ambrose The Pacific book that is very strongly based on the first person accounts of Lieke and Sledge, it strays from the facts as written by Lieke and Sledge. This is on relatively minor points and can be viewed as artistic licence, but this is supposed to be dramatization of historical events and historical accounts by the people who were there, not a novelization. If you want to really have an interesting experience, read Ambrose book before you watch the series and then read Sledge and Lieke's books while you watch the series. You will be quite surprised at the differences of tone and what was left in the series and what was left out. I like it, and will watch it again, but I did not like it as much a Band of Brothers.Read full review
This is a must have for any world war II aficionado. Sadly, in my opinion, this is not as good as the original Band of Brothers, but it is still wonderfully entertaining and the battle scenes are ridiculous. it is also slow during some parts, but that just helps build the story more and adds to the suspense. It is amazing what these men went through, and it really makes you think what they had to go through so we can live the way we do today. If you have ANY doubts about buying this collection DON"T it is 100% worth it, and you will watch it again and again once you do own it.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
As a former USMC Combat Correspondent 'The Pacific' contains perhaps the best rendition of actual combat in its suddeness, unpredictibility, soul-sucking horror and the numbness (PTSD) left within all participants. I relived a great deal of my own experiences through this excellent production of a grievous point in time and space. It helped me share with my wife elements of war one can never adequately describe. My hat is off to Speilberg, Hanks and every member of the cast and crew. Five Stars are not enough. Semper Fi!
What makes this series so great is the fact that its given to you from the Enlisted prespective. Most all military history is given from a tactical view and written by officers. This story is the essence of what it was like to be in the trenches in the Pacific. It shows the hardships of the fighter, rather than simply detailing the battle plans and decision points of their commanders. Personally, I felt this series was 3 times better than Band of Brothers, and I loved Band of Brothers. The story of the Pacific has been over shadowed by Hitlers Nazi's. I've met grown men who never even realized that we fought WWII on two fronts. This series reminds newer generations of a past that should never be forgottten and is much over due.
One of the best war mini-series since Band of Brothers. Exemplifies the harsh conditions & heroic actions of hundreds of thousands of brave heroes. They don't make men like this anymore. My grandfather fought with the 12th Calvary, 1st Army in some of the same areas. His tales of war against the Japs scared me as a kid and this series backs it all up. AWESOME!! You will NOT be able to watch just one disc. I stayed up all night and binge watched the entire box set!! 100% High Top, Bad Ass, LOVED IT!!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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