Michael Bay has made a career built upon going as explosively huge as possible. His work behind titles like the live-action Transformers franchise, the Bad Boys film series, and Armageddon has made his name synonymous with high-octane productions featuring top-tier talent. In 2001, he took his love for dramatic storytelling and pulse-pounding action sequences and tossed in a historical flair when he debuted the film Pearl Harbor. Starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale, the WWII romantic drama was one of the highest earners and most-talked-about movies of the year. And, while it may not be as historically accurate as Saving Private Ryan or Dunkirk, it has solidified itself as one of cinema’s most popular war stories. Beginning on September 1, Hulu subscribers can immerse themselves in Bay’s merging of history and fiction when Pearl Harbor sails onto the streamer.
Although its title drums up images of a day that will live in infamy that saw the Japanese attack the titular naval base and pull the U.S. into WWII, much of Pearl Harbor isn’t about the historical event itself. Instead, the movie largely centers around a sort of love triangle between childhood best friends — Captain Rafe McCawley (Affleck) and Captain Danny Walker (Hartnett) — and their shared love interest, Lieutenant Evelyn Johnson (Beckinsale). That’s not to say that the action sequences aren’t overflowing with powerful explosives, blood, tears, and heartbreak, as the movie has plenty of that. But, at its heart, it’s about the bonds of friendship and the connection between lovers.
‘Pearl Harbor’s Big Box Office Haul
By the time Pearl Harbor sailed out of cinemas, it had amassed a worldwide box office haul of $449.2 million. The gargantuan number put it in the top ten list of highest-grossing films of the year, landing in sixth place. For a taste of what other movies were topping the charts more than two decades ago, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and Monsters, Inc. were in the first, second, and third spots, respectively.
Despite its big financial score, Pearl Harbor largely struck out with critics and audiences, largely in part due to the much-talked-about historical inaccuracies. Still, it landed four nominations at the Academy Awards, taking home Best Sound Editing.
Head to Hulu on September 1 to welcome Bay’s WWII feature into your living room.
