"Unbroken" is a harrowing film based on the story of a United States 1936 Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by the Japanese during World War II.

The movie, produced and directed by Angelina Jolie, deserves to be a multiple Oscar nominee in the categories of picture, director, adapted screenplay, actor, cinematography and score.The movie is based on the biography of Louis Zamperini, "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand.Zamperini (played by Jack O'Connell in the movie) was a Torrance, California, native taken prisoner by the Japanese after drifting on a raft for 47 days when his B-24 Liberator bomber crashed into the Pacific in 1943.Zamperini died at age 97 in July 2014. While he didn't get to attend the premiere of "Unbroken," it's said that Jolie showed him a rough cut of the film on a laptop while he was hospitalized."Unbroken" is a gripping, at times jolting, always edge-of-your seat war film that presents yet another perspective on "The Greatest Generation" and World War II.It is, by turns, a combination of "The Bridge On The River Kwai" (1957) for its depiction of the Japanese captors, and "The Railway Man" (2013) starring Colin Firth as a British soldier taken prisoner of war by the Japanese during World War II for its depiction of reconciliation."Unbroken" recounts Zamperini as a troublesome youth from an Italian family who straightens out when he becomes a high school track star. The film's next portion follows Zamperini as a soldier, the downing of his plane and Zamperini with two fellow soldiers adrift in life rafts for 47 days.The bulk of "Unbroken," as the title implies, is taken up with Zamperini being tortured by a Japanese soldier in charge of the prison camp, Mutsuhiro "Bird" Watanabe (Takamasa Ishihara), who makes an example of him because of his Olympic hero status.The final screenplay for "Unbroken" was written by Joel and Ethan Coen, who were brought in when Jolie was named director to rewrite a screenplay by Richard LaGravenese and Williams Nicholson based on Hillenbrand's book.The screenplay follows the plight of Zamperini, whose fate during World War II seems to go from bad to worse. We, the audience, are with Zamperini every step of the way. While the scenes of torture are difficult to watch, these are necessary to the storyline.Jolie ("In The Land Of Milk and Honey," 2011) directs with a sure hand and at an even pace. There are few, if any missteps, in her direction. "Unbroken" is a superb piece of cinema.Jolie is especially good at conveying the claustrophobic vulnerability of the B-24 crew, as well as the emotional interior of Zamperini and his fellow soldiers. The film gives the sense of superrealism.Jack O'Connell ("300: Rise of An Empire") is extraordinary as Zamperini. There is not a false emotional note in his performance.Takamasa Ishihara, in his big-screen acting debut, gives a very nuanced and memorable performance as Watanabe, the Japanese prison camp torturer, creating a complex characterization with overtones of a pathological sadist."Unbroken" joins the annals of excellent World War II films, including "Fury" (2014), which starred Mr. Jolie, Brad Pitt.It's been an excellent year at the cinema for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and we, the moviegoers, are the beneficiaries.And "Unbroken" is a reminder to us of Zamperini's motto that "If you can take it, you can make it.""Unbroken," MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.) for war violence including intense sequences of brutality, and for brief language; Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport; War; Run time: 2 hours, 17 mins; Distributed by Universal Pictures.Credit Readers Anonymous: "Unbroken" was filmed in New South Wales and Village Roadshow Studios, Queensland, Australia.Box Office, Jan. 9: "Taken 3," starring Liam Neeson, took No. 1, opening with $40.4 million, with "Selma," based on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Selma, Alabama, civil rights march, moving up to No. 2 in wide release, $11.2 million, $13.4 million, three weeks; with "Into the Woods" dropping from No. 2 to No. 3, $9.7 million, $105.2 million, three weeks; and dropping "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" from No. 1 three weeks in a row to No. 4, with $9.4 million, $236.5 million, four weeks;5. "Unbroken," dropping from No. 3, with $8.3 million, $101.6 million, three weeks; 6. "The Imitation Game" continued its strong "must-see" status, moving up one place, with $7.6 million, $40.8 million, seven weeks; 7. "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb," $6.7 million, $99.5 million, four weeks; 8. "Annie," $4.9 million, $79.4 million, four weeks; 9. "The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death," $4.8 million, $22.3 million, two weeks; 10. "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1," $3.7 million, $329.5 million, eight weeksUnreel, Jan. 16:"Blackhat," R: Chris Hemsworth stars as a furloughed convict who helps track a high-level cybercrime network. Viola Davis co-stars in the thriller."Paddington," PG: The animated comedy about the popular storybook talking bear has the voices of Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent."Still Alice," PG-13: Julianne Moore stars in an Oscar nominee worthy performance as a woman battling Alzheimer's disease. Kate Bosworth co-stars in the drama."The Wedding Ringer," R: Kevin Hart stars in the comedy about a shy groom.Read Paul Willistein's movie reviews at the Lehigh Valley Press website, thelehighvalley-press.com; the Times News website, tnonline.com; and hear them on "Lehigh Valley Art Salon," 6-6:30 p.m. Mondays, WDIY 88.1 FM, and wdiy.org, where they're archived. Email Paul Willistein:

pwillistein@tnonline.com. You can follow Paul Willistein on Twitter and friend Paul Willistein on Facebook. Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes