One of the more admirable cinematic accomplishments in recent memory, Clint Eastwood's sprawling dissection of one of World War II's more brutal battles -- one for control of Iwo Jima, a key island in the Pacific theater -- is perhaps best appreciated when viewed as a whole. This five-disc set, which groups the newly released two-disc sets of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima with a fifth, exclusive bonus disc, you're able to more fully explore Eastwood's achievement.

By watching both Flags and Letters back-to-back, your appreciation deepens for not only the technical skill on display, but also the dedication to two very different ways of telling essentially the same story. By focusing exclusively on one side for each film, Eastwood is able to peel back the layers and more fully explore the men on the front lines, rather than rendering caricatures, an all-too-common pitfall of war films.

Housed in a cardboard slipcase that somewhat clumsily blends the art from these two films, each two-disc set is enclosed in Amaray keepcases, identical to what's available separately. Below, I'll offer quick synopses of each film included here; put simply, if you don't own either and would like to learn more about the grueling battle of Iwo Jima, this is an ideal purchase for you. Even if you'd just like one film and the A&E documentary, don't worry -- as of this writing, the documentary is also available separately.

My colleague Randy Miller III already did a great job outlining the plot of the first film and offering his thoughts on Flags of Our Fathers -- for the most part, we don't disagree on too much.

That said, having re-watched the film a second time, I think I've finally put my finger on what keeps this obviously earnest drama from quite gelling: spectacle and sprawling drama elude Eastwood. His sensibility is better suited to spare, almost minimalist drama, not the widescreen battle sequences that make up much of Flags (ironically however, those work better than the quieter moments of tortured self-reflection involving the trio of main characters). Letters engages because the characters meet Eastwood's criteria of solemn, subtle action; Letters is no less epic than Flags, but feels more potent because the story is so much more elemental. Flags just feels, to me, to be too wrapped up in statements about the true nature of heroism, dosed with a heavy amount of cynicism.

I've already tackled reviewing the second half of Eastwood's diptych -- Letters from Iwo Jima-- and have nothing new to add.

A 93-minute documentary executive produced by Arnold Shapiro and hosted by Gene Hackman, this 2001 film is the perfect supplement to Eastwood's films, as it offers up interviews not only with Iwo Jima veterans, but also Joe Rosenthal, who snapped the famous photo and James Bradley, author of "Flags of Our Fathers." It's an involving, deeply moving film that digs much deeper than Eastwood's Flags does, revealing more clearly the men behind one of World War II's most unforgiving battles. Those whose interest is piqued by the cinematic adaptation should definitely give this disc a spin.

The Video:

Flags of Our Fathers
Quoting Randy's review: "Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and enhanced for 16x9 displays, Flags of Our Fathers looks fairly good from start to finish. The film's washed-out color palette holds up well, though many sequences appear a bit softer than others. No major digital problems were on display, even during the shaky handheld footage. It's not a perfect visual treatment, but everything appears faithful to the theatrical presentation."

Letters from Iwo Jima
The almost-monochromatic visuals nevertheless look lush and richly detailed in this 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, retaining the evocative grit cinematographer Tom Stern's images had in theaters and providing the sharp, clean look that befits a recently created film. A beautiful digital rendering.

Heroes of Iwo Jima
Presented as originally broadcast, in 1.33:1 fullscreen, the documentary looks clean and crisp throughout, though a few of the interview segments seem a bit hot and the odd bit of softness does occasionally creep. Still, given the film's reliance on archival footage, these are more nitpicky details than anything else. Overall, a solid visual offering.

Flags of Our Fathers
Again, quoting Randy's review: "The film's Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround mix (available in English and French, as well as English DD 2.0) is a bit more impressive, boasting a strong atmosphere and plenty of punch. Battle sequences obviously stand out the most, while the score adds a layer of detail to certain sequences. Dialogue is always clear and easy to understand. Thankfully, English and Spanish subtitles are also included during the main feature and bonus material."

Letters from Iwo Jima
The Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is active and immersive, with plenty of kick to the explosions and gunfire and appropriate warmth and clarity afforded the passages of dialogue. It's a clean, distortion-free mix that matches the visuals step for step. Optional English subtitles are included, as are optional French and Spanish subtitles.

Heroes of Iwo Jima
Presented as originally broadcast on A&E, Heroes of Iwo Jima is offered up with a standard Dolby 2.0 stereo track that is perfectly adequate; the interviews are heard clearly and Hackman's narration doesn't suffer from any distortion or other audible defect.

Flags of Our Fathers
All of the bonus material found on the two-disc set is included here: the five minute, four second introduction from Eastwood; the 17 minute, two second "Words on the Page"; the 19 minute, 51 second "Six Brave Men"; the 30 minute, 11 second "The Making of an Epic"; the three minute, 26 second "Raising the Flag"; the 14 minute, 55 second visual effects featurette; the nine minute, 26 second "Looking Into the Past" and the film's theatrical trailer.

Taken together, the American-oriented Flags of Our Fathers and the Japanese-centric Letters from Iwo Jima, director Clint Eastwood's examination of a crucial moment in history -- the bloody siege of Iwo Jima -- is a breathtaking, if slightly strained, achievement, one that lays bare the ugly realities of war and captures a master filmmaker at the height of his abilities. If you don't own either film, this set is a no-brainer; however, if you want to sample the A&E documentary, I'd recommend seeking it out individually. Highly recommended.