StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

richard-1787 I spent the last week reading and then watching this remarkable series, i.e., reading a chapter in Geoffrey C. Ward's 400+ page book and then watching the corresponding episode of the documentary film. While the script of the films, also by Ward, reproduces much of what is in the book, often verbatim though not necessarily in the same order, there is also much that had to be left out to limit this massive undertaking to seven approximately 2-hour film episodes. Reading the book is already a very moving and informative experience. It is very well and powerfully written. But watching the seven installments of the movie is yet more powerful, indeed often overwhelming. (I could not handle more than one episode a day.) It is one thing to read the recollections of the witnesses, almost all of whom are master story tellers. It is that much more powerful to hear their voices and see their faces as they recount them. Much interesting detail is lost in the narrative in going from the book to the movie, so the movie is less informative than the book. But in terms of conveying the emotional impact the war had on both those who fought in it and those who lived through it here in the States, which in the end is one of Burns' goals, the movie is far more successful than the already very successful book.Some previous reviewers get lost in irrelevant sidetracks. Burns makes it very clear from the start that he cannot tell the whole story of the War, so he is limiting himself to how it affected people in four mid- to small-sized American towns. (He cheats a little on this with witnesses like Glenn Frazier, who wasn't from Mobile, and Sascha Werzheimer, who was from Sacramento but spent the War in the Philippines, but I'm not going to fault him on that.) Complaining that this series does not cover the war in Yougoslavia or other places is therefore irrelevant; no one could cover all of the war in 15 hours of documentary, and Burns tells us from the very beginning what limits he is imposing on his presentation. If you want something else, this is not the place to look for it.Others complained about the music. I truly cannot understand why. Burns' team makes masterful use of songs popular during the War, and of a deeply moving score by Winton Marsalis that makes already powerful visual and vocal footage that much more devastating. I wouldn't listen to the sound track by itself, but putting it beneath the rest of what is going on makes it that much more devastating.It is clear that Burns and Ward want to make several points, none of which I see as particularly left- or right-wing. They show that some of the American generals in the war had overbearing egos (MacArthur in particular) and some were simply incompetent. They show that war brings out the worst in some human beings, whatever the nationality, reducing them to something subhuman, such as the American GI who extracts teeth from an enemy corpse to get the gold fillings or the Japanese soldiers who emasculate dead GIs. (We actually see brief film footage of what appears to be GIs robbing Japanese soldiers' corpses of their possessions.) But we also hear of incredible courage and stamina, often told by men whose courage and endurance is equaled only by their humility. As several of the veterans say, you cannot understand what it was like to live through the worst of the war unless you were there. This movie doesn't challenge that assertion. It does, however, do a remarkable job of giving us some idea not just of the facts of the matter, but of what the war did emotionally to those who lived through it, on the fields of battle and here at home. On the last page of the book's text, one of the witnesses, Quentin Aanenson, says that "the dynamics of war are so absolutely intense, the drama of war is so absolutely emotionally spellbinding, that it's hard for you to go on with a normal life without feeling something is missing." It is that absolute intensity that this movie series does an often overwhelmingly good job of conveying.

grantss The US involvement in World War 2, as seen through the inhabitants of four US towns. This includes some of the men who saw combat - in different branches, units and theatres of operations - plus the civilians at home.A superb documentary series from the master of the genre, Ken Burns. Uses a similar formula to his greatest work - The Civil War: through narration, a broad yet detailed coverage of the events plus stories of the people caught up in the conflict and how it affected them. By humanising the conflict it makes the series more engaging, while still informing us of the bigger picture.Quite emotional at times too, seeing how the war affected people. The conclusion of the series is very moving. Good use of archival film footage and stills by Burns. I have seen many WW2 documentaries and yet much of the footage was new to me.Good narration by Keith David. Doesn't quite have the gravitas or impact that David McCullough had in The Civil War but, then, nobody does.

Lee Novak If I were in charge of National Education,I would ORDER "The War" as a requisite for a High School diploma,more so than English or Mathematics. "The War" is THAT good! This MAGNIFICENT documentary by Ken Burns and company,more than further Exemplifies "The Greatest Generation" as put forth by TOM BROKAW in a celluloid format.Interviews by those who HUMBLY fought,were held prisoner,both as civilians and G.I.'s. The spoiled rotten Generations prevalent in this ingrate society who live in their OWN selfish Button Pushing electronic brained world are DISGUSTING to me,as they haven't or REFUSE to acknowledge what these Wonderful people did in World War II so they could BE the Disgusting,spoiled Ingrates they really are. If this Film DOESN'T reach into your soul and force you into tears and respect FOR these heroes, than I say go to HELL ! The exploration and detail of these great folks who many times literally breakdown while recalling those dastardly yet necessary moments of Warfare. I will say this. If NOT for America emerging Victoriously,then (I) wouldn't have been born,nor writing this and certainly NO one would be reading it. In fact what Language or fascist doctrine we would be under if a Loss in World War II were the reality,I don't know. WATCH this Incredible work of Art/Fact with your kids and write your local school board to add this to the current curriculum.

Charles Reinderhoff I have now watched this series of films twice. Its just tremendous. I don't have any other word for it. The amount of detail, the supporting cast of interviews, the music, the massive amount of images, it's all so incredibly well done, words do not suffice. If there ever has been one truly brilliant documentary on the meaning of total war, this has to be the one. As a European I realize that the story focuses on the American soldier and the American experience, which I fully understand. As a European, 'we' have of course that other masterpiece, 'The World at War'. Together, they complete the story on this black hole in human misery and history. I was sometimes moved to tears watching 'The War'. Again, the amount of detail is stunning. Watching this series of films leaves you wishing that there will never again be such a human catastrophe. In my view this film crowns the unbelievable effort Americans made to restore freedom and civilization to the world. Whatever anybody thinks or says, it's only thanks to the United States of America and it's people, that we today can walk the earth (or most part of it) a free human being. I'm glad (and lucky) that I belong to a generation (born 1956) that have been able to cherish freedom and peace without having to put my life on the line, like all these millions of men and women. This film is a Big thank you.