“If you can take it, you can make it,” these eight words hold so much meaning to the life of Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell), in the movie Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie. This remarkable true story is the epitome of inspiration.  Following his life in the military and being a Japanese Prisoner of War during WWII, Louis gives a cruel and hopeless situation a light at the end of the tunnel.

It all began with a little push by Louis’ brother Pete (John D’Leo/Alex Russell), who fuels his love for running. This later turns Louis into an Olympic runner. When Louis becomes a military bombardier on a B-24 plane that crashes into the Pacific Ocean, he soon finds himself and fellow soldier Phil, (Domhnall Gleeson) in the hands of the Japanese. From there, viewers follow his life as a prisoner of war.

Louis reflects on many moments in his childhood through a series of flashbacks throughout the movie, which gives a somewhat religious take on Louis’ life. While in the life raft after the crash, Louis decides that if he makes it out alive, he would dedicate his life to God.  This point of view may not be for everyone, but it shed light onto his motivation to make it through the crash and the prison camp, and provided more inspiration to his story because he forgave those who hurt him.

O’Connell acts as Louis in an honest and wonderful way. Through his emotions and actions, he shows the resilience and determination Louis had in real life. Along with Louis, Wanatabe “the Bird” (Takamasa Ishihara), Louis’ captor in the prison camp, represents the true cruelty of Japan towards US soldiers. Ishihara illustrates the negative favoritism he showed towards Louis very clearly, giving viewers an understanding of why Louis was tortured so much.

As director of the film, Jolie did not disappoint. She provided a close representation of the true story, which I read after viewing Unbroken, to see how accurate the story really was. The movie left me with a multitude of emotions, from happy to sad, angry, and inspired. The movie reflects a true hero, and shows how like Louis, in any situation, that “if you can take it, you can make it.”