Unbroken

There’s little doubt that Louis Zamperini’s remarkable life is worthy of a big-screen treatment, but Unbroken doesn’t quite get to the heart of his powerful story of survival and wartime heroism.

This slick and straightforward biopic from director Angelina Jolie is intimate in some spots and sprawling in others, yet it lacks focus and fails to sustain its emotional pull in the way it should. The result is a stirring drama that also feels like a missed opportunity, given its true-life subject.

Zamperini was raised in a religious Italian family in Torrance, Calif., where the mischievous youngster blossomed into a standout distance runner who qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

From there, he becomes a military gunner aboard a B-24 fighter plane entering World War II, but eventually crashes in the Pacific Ocean along with his pilot Phil (Domhnall Gleeson). They manage to float in a raft for 47 days before being rescued into enemy hands, and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp near Tokyo.

That’s where his circumstances turn even worse, as Zamperini becomes a target of ridicule and torture by the Japanese, testing his spirituality, patriotism, luck, physical dexterity and mental fortitude in an inspirational and courageous effort to survive.

From a writing perspective, there’s plenty of pedigree here. The script is based on a novel by Laura Hillenbrand (Seabiscuit) and is the product of four screenwriters, including the Coen brothers, Richard LaGravenese (The Bridges of Madison County) and William Nicholson (Gladiator).

It can’t decide whether it wants to tell Zamperini’s whole story or focus on a specific segment, and gets caught in the middle. The first hour zips along with an opening WWII air raid, then a summary of his athletic accomplishments, followed by his harrowing plane crash and its aftermath. The time spent in the prison camps feels much more deliberate and drawn out, by comparison.

Jolie – whose directorial debut, The Land of Milk and Honey, took place during the Bosnian War – keeps most of the action away from the front lines this time. She demonstrates some visual flair yet keeps her contributions muted. O’Connell (Starred Up) takes plenty of physical risks with his committed performance, compensating with gravitas what he lacks in charisma.

Ultimately, Unbroken provides a worthwhile introduction to Zamperini’s story, although it might prompt moviegoers afterward to search the Internet to fill in the blanks.

Rated PG-13, 137 minutes.