It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Clint Eastwood’s work. Having said that, it took me completely by surprise when Spike Lee publicly criticized Eastwood’s World War II films Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of our Fathers for the exclusion of any African American soldiers. In response to his accusations against Eastwood comes Lee’s latest and most ambitious film to date, Miracle at St. Anna.

Spike Lee’s intentions were admirable and commendable, however I felt that he wandered a bit off track in regards to his film’s original intentions. From my understanding, Lee’s objective was to honor and recognize the African American soldiers (Buffalo Soldiers) who fought brilliantly and bravely in World War II, but instead he added what I felt was an overly opinionated issue of race which dampened the overall quality of the film. Although I felt that the issue of race was essential to the film’s overall success, it just seemed too blatant for my taste. There were definitely moments of absolute genius in this feature, but there were also an equal amount of counterproductive moments as well.

Overall, I have to say that this film is still worth watching. The message Lee is attempting to get across is quite powerful when you get past all the negatives, and the actors in the film hold their own quite well. If you have three hours to spare and are a fan of war dramas, I’m sure you’ll appreciate the message behind this movie.