Clint Eastwood does a masterful job in capturing the immensity of the battle of Iwo Jima with the human drama of the six men who were thrust into immortality by the simple act of raising the American flag on the island. The photo of that event became one of the iconic moments of World War II. The battle sequences are beautifully filmed and the technology used to simulate the immense battle group that supported the landing are very realistic. The stateside scenes are less awe inspiring but capture the essence of the three surviving members of the flag raising group and their newfound celebrity status and reaction to it. This is the weakest part of the film and it doesn't quite ring true at times. The scene of them meeting at the Treasury Department is well done as is the dramatic war bond drive scene at Soldiers Field. I attended the early afternoon showing on Friday and it was mostly senior citizens like myself in attendance. When the closing credits rolled the audience stayed to watch until the end and in complete silence. It was very emotional. The must see movie of the year.