The Pacific (TV Mini Series) Okinawa (2010) User Reviews

A horrific yet great episode

[Croni · 9/10 · 10 May 2010]

I had high hopes for this episode, and my prayers were answered, this episode was no doubt the most emotionally deep in the series.

Action well built in with emotion and suspense really did it for me, the torment we see the Japanese and "Okinawans" go through is truly heart breaking at times.

We see the new guys treated even more harshly than before, breaking points, high points its just a masterpiece.

I enjoyed this episode thoroughly very re-watchable.

If you are faint hearted this episode may not be for you

Probably the best episode of the series

I'd use my hands if I have to

[petra_ste · 8/10 · 9 March 2014]

Easily the best episode of the series, for the simple reason it focuses on the most interesting character arc. Seda's perfect hero and Badge Dale's warrior/poet are, from a purely narrative point of view, not nearly as compelling as Mazzello's Sledge, who faces here a nightmarish transmogrification from decent, idealistic young man into something truly frightening. Rami Malek is likewise phenomenal as Sledge's caustic friend "Snafu".

Even if the last scenes focus on hope and the recovering of humanity, I certainly didn't expect the series - fairly conventional up to this point - to portray the ugly face of war (and its effects even on good people) in such a disturbing way. So, kudos for that.

8,5/10

Okinawa merits thumbs up

[danpiedra · 9/10 · 9 May 2010]

At long last we are treated to an episode worthy of being remembered. This episode dealt with many of the key ingredients necessary to make a viewer want to see it over and over. While episode 8 (Iwo Jima) will soon be forgotten in mind as one of the most disappointing ones of the whole series, this one provided a true emotional ride through the horror and moral struggles which Americans faced in Okinawa. The pain and discomfort of the rain, mud, and generally uncomfortable conditions came through the screen into our living rooms. Several scenes provided a glimpse of the frustration and moral decay which these soldiers faced ... it was not a feel good episode, but it should not have been. It was what it should have been, and for one of only a few episodes, I would see this one a few more times to truly appreciate it.

So Moving

[whiteknight_copley · 9/10 · 25 July 2016]

The scene where Sledge finds the badly wounded woman in the hut on Okinawa and she begs him to finish her off, it moved me to tears - humanity, redemption, love, tenderness - beautiful acting from Mazzello and Kaoru Sato. Bravo! There was no dialogue but both actors conveyed so much despair, pity and connection. It was the jewel of a scene in a well crafted episode in a beautifully constructed series. I also think Rami Malik as Snafu Shelton was an amazing character who lived in the skin of the part. So many great cameos made the whole series a delight. High production values. My only gripe is that I think the writers back-projected 21st century values into the period too much and this was, at times, unwarranted.

a brutal but reflective piece

[chickenjackson · 9/10 · 14 October 2020]

This episode enters even deeper into the horrors of war and man's inhumanity to man. the battle is not just without but within the troops and zooms in within Sledge himself. little cruelties have unforeseen consequences and are reflected back upon oneself. indeed who is the real enemy?

An eye opening experience

[loganhonker · 10/10 · 10 April 2024]

Possibly the most horrific episode of television I've ever watched. I would've told you before I watched this episode that this series is not for the light-hearted. Having now seen this episode I'm not sure anybody could've watched episode 9 and not come away from it with some sort of changed perspective or realization of the true horror these men had to face. Joseph Mazzello and Rami Malek's performances throughout the entire series have been some of the best work of their entire careers, this episode for me proved that more than ever. The emptiness in sledges eyes mid way through this episode will shatter your heart. Anyone brave enough to watch this series to the end will surely develop a sincere care for many of the men and the sacrifices they made. Absolutely a masterpiece of storytelling in episode 9. Possibly Hanks and Spielberg's best work in their trio of miniseries.

In my opinion, the worst episode of the series

[yavermbizi · 4/10 · 19 May 2021]

I have generally liked this show, but its beginning was certainly better, even though even at this low-mark it cannot at all be called "bad". Here we have continuity errors (the fleeing Okinawan crowd swells in numbers and teleports), questionable scenes transitions (mortar firing somehow turns day into nighttime - I guess the US had more powerful weapons in WWII than anybody remembers, I was certainly confused), unnecessary scenes (There's a half-minute nighttime scene of a marine walking in the night, Sledge looking at something and then falling asleep, jammed in-between two daytime combat scenes - what gives?! Were they out of materiel and needed padding?!), clichés and rather annoying characters. I was also puzzled by how Sledge really wants to kill Japs, but when a mortally-wounded Okinawan civilian lady nonverbally asks him to kill her, being presumably in terrible pain, he decides not to, I guess?.. And hugs her instead?.. Here, have some hugs for your perforated stomach, that'll heal nicely! Is that a sadistic kind of hug?..

But there certainly are interesting scenes here, and I especially enjoyed the depiction of how Snafu's stress-induced ramblings literally drove one guy insane and got another killed. That reminded me of the stress mechanics in "Darkest Dungeon" - indeed, Snafu's stress barks caused one guy to become Afflicted (specifically Masochistic, perhaps?) and then he shuffled at an inopportunate time, and that was that for the other guy. I guess you have to retreat at this point. :)