The League of Grateful Sons is a documentary chronicling the trip of more than three hundred WWII veterans and their families back to the island of Iwo Jima where they fought, killed, and left their comrades. On the 60th anniversary of the battle, their stories are told; painfully and at a cost, but tinged with pride and reverence.
The film accomplishes this with a mixture of authentic war films, old photographs, reenactments, and interviews with the veterans and their descendants. Without a doubt, it is the interviews with these brave men who served that are the highlight of the film. League brings us stories of their lives before, during, and after that battle. They’re poignant and moving, and tug at our heartstrings. Their desire is to pass on a legacy of honor to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Each interview supports and bolsters the documentarist’s view of the Providence of an almighty God. It seems there really are no atheists in foxholes.
The filming is beautifully done, with lush scenery and black sand beaches intermingled with the harsh realities of war. There’s enough current interviews and photography that the old film is actually interesting. It’s a good balance.
It’s tempting to give this movie the highest rating simply for subject matter. But even with the strong positives, as a movie there are negatives as well. There’s far too much face time for the movie’s producer, Doug Phillips of Vision Forum, especially in the beginning. His voiceovers are integral, but when the interview room shots come up, I was looking for the vets. Also, the movie starts off with a child reading letters. In an apparent attempt to make him sound young, the child reading has a strong lisp. It’s distracting. There’s a wonderful score in the background, but it’s not always enough in the background and it overpowers some of the speaking parts, to the movie’s detriment. It’s also 74 minutes long, too long for a television movie yet too short for a feature length film.
The included extras (including a Guadalcanal war department film) are a wonderful addition to an already wonderful film. Overall, this is very well done; and for a documentary, it moves well. The subject hasn’t been overdone; it hasn’t really been done at all. It’s definitely a film to watch with your children. Be prepared to discuss events and concepts such as WWII, Providence, duty, and honor.
Julie’s Rating: 4 stars (high 3/low 4) 
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MPAA Rating: Not rated; likely G —
Cautions: Old war films, including battles (without gore); film is made from an unapologetically conservative Christian viewpoint
Appropriate for: All, especially history buffs and Christians longing for a return to traditional values.