Watch USS Indianapolis: The Legacy

USS Indianapolis: The Legacy is a 2015 American war drama movie that tells the story of the USS Indianapolis, a warship that carried out a mission to deliver a payload of enriched uranium to the Pacific island of Tinian during World War II. The movie is directed by Terry Benedict and stars William Roy Akines, Tom Balunis, and George Barber.

The film starts with the USS Indianapolis setting sail on the mission in July 1945, shortly after the successful test of the first atomic bomb. The crew of the ship is comprised of experienced sailors and Marines who are well-trained and ready to execute the mission. However, fate intervenes, and the ship is torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The crew, numbering more than a thousand men, is left stranded in the open sea, without food or water, and with no hope of rescue in sight.

The movie portrays the harrowing ordeal that the crew of the USS Indianapolis had to endure for almost five days, floating in shark-infested waters in the scorching heat of the Pacific Ocean. The sailors have to band together to survive the elements, the sharks, and their own demons. The movie is an accurate depiction of the real-life events that took place, with the filmmakers taking great care to ensure that the movie is as authentic as possible.

The film also touches upon the aftermath of the sinking of the ship, where the surviving crew members had to deal with the trauma of the experience, and the subsequent investigations and trials that followed. The USS Indianapolis disaster remains one of the most significant naval tragedies in US history, and the movie provides a powerful insight into the human cost of war.

One of the standout aspects of the movie is the performances by the actors, particularly William Roy Akines and Tom Balunis, who play the lead roles of Chief Petty Officer Vernon Olsen and Machinist Mate 1st Class Howard Kent, respectively. Both actors give nuanced performances that capture the fear, desperation, and resilience of the sailors stuck in the open sea. The rest of the cast, including George Barber, who plays the role of Captain McVay, also delivers strong performances, creating a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood among the sailors.

The cinematography of the movie deserves special mention, with the filmmakers capturing the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean in all its glory. The movie's visuals are stunning, with sweeping shots of the ocean, and the filmmakers effectively convey the sense of isolation and fear that the sailors must have experienced.

Overall, USS Indianapolis: The Legacy is a moving tribute to the sailors who lost their lives in the disaster, and the survivors who had to live with the trauma for the rest of their lives. The movie is a gripping and poignant portrayal of the human cost of war, and the sense of brotherhood and camaraderie that can emerge even in the most trying of circumstances. Terry Benedict should be commended for his direction of the movie, and the cast should be praised for their excellent performances. USS Indianapolis: The Legacy is a must-watch movie for anyone interested in military history, war drama, or just a powerful cinematic experience.

USS Indianapolis: The Legacy is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.3.