The Pacific: “Part 3” (1.03)

The Pacific is what executive producer Tom Hanks calls “World War II, v 2.0” with 2001’s gritty combat series Band of Brothers being v 1.0. Instead of Germans, American troops now take on the Japanese, a strikingly different opponent fought on distant, remote islands in the South Pacific. We follow three young Marines who enlist after the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. There is definitely a different feel and look to this series as compared to Band of Brothers.
The Story So Far: “Parts 1 & 2” find two of the young soldiers, Robert Leckie and John Basilone, in the midst of the Guadalcanal campaign. The troops are able to take the strategic location from the enemy, but not without killing thousands of Japanese. The painstaking realism is quickly evident with exploding body parts and incredibly vivid shot locations. The “War is Hell” mantra sings loud, with amazing exhibits of both brutality and humanity. The other marine who will be seeing a lot of screen time is Eugene Sledge, played by Joseph Mazello (who I recognize as the kid from Jurassic Park). Because of a heart condition that is diagnosed by his doctor father, he doesn’t immediately enlist. But when his condition improves he joins up, so he’ll likely feature in upcoming episodes.
In “Part 3,” the Marines are shipped off to nearby Australia, where the Yanks’ campaign in Guadalcanal saves the country. It’s an interesting reprieve for the men and for the viewer. Most of this series will be centered around bloody combat; here, we get to see the more civilized depiction of an American soldier. Too bad it started off with drinking and fighting. It bothered me that the filmmakers were heading down that well-worn road of the stereotypical movie soldier who acts as though he’s God’s gift to the natives. Thankfully, the fight scene is short, as is the boozing.