Unbroken

I've long loved reading and finally had time to read, Unbroken. The book told of the life of Louie Zamperini. He led a tremendously adventurous life and had a strong will to live. At just over 400 pages, Laura Hillenbrand, did an outstanding job telling Louie's story. While the story was interesting, the book was eye-opening to the things that POWs faced during World War II. There were so many things I didn't know that our poor troops faced. How as many of them survived as did is no less than a miracle. The conditions of the camps and the treatment of prisoners by the guards was literally disturbing; it broke my heart.

I had long-awaited the movie coming out. I knew it would be different from the book and it was. It didn't portray Louie's closeness with his family and it skimmed over the lack of food and the disease that plagued the POWs. Jack O'Connell did a terrific job embodying the spirit and tenacity of Louie. I felt like I was literally watching Louie.



Click here for an interesting interview from the author, Laura Hillenbrand.

Many people said that Angelina Jolie shouldn't have been given the opportunity to direct such a poignant story and that she did an awful job skimming over many important parts of the book. I agree. What the movie also left out was after the war, Louie's downward spiral and relentless nightmares of the brutality of the guards, especially the Bird. The movie didn't tell how he came to find peace. It didn't show that he gave his heart to Christ while attending a Billy Graham crusade in LA. After that crusade, his nightmares ceased and through Christ's help, he forgave all his captors. To me, that's a poignant part of his story that bears telling and most certainly should've been in the movie. Everyone can relate to struggles with forgiveness and need to know if the hope and peace Christ offers. It really is a remarkable story that I recommend to everyone. What struck me the most at the end of the movie, was seeing the real footage of Louie running the Olympic torch in Japan. The text said that he met with and forgave all his captors. It was also such a strong story of forgiveness.

Have you read the book or seen the movie? What are your thoughts? I'd love to know.