Told from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers tasked with defending the island of Iwo Jima as American forces pushed toward the mainland, “Letters” is a long, deep breath of a film. Eastwood is not the sort of person to work under the 120 minute barrier, and at 140 minutes, his latest takes its time getting there. But what has been considered behind the scenes a “small” film, or an “art” film, I actually find to be the most emotionally epic outing of the year.

The film is book ended, much like Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan,” by a modern setting. Japanese archaeologists are excavating the tunnels on Iwo Jima, the refuge of the Japanese soldiers who defended that God forsaken rock with all the futility in the world. Cut to the pre-battle Iwo Jima, as the Imperial Army is readying the island for battle, awaiting the arrival of Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) to lead the effort.

Kuribayashi is a forward-thinking leader whose views fly in the face of traditionalist Imperial Army officers. He also holds a unique perspective of the enemy as he formerly spent time in America as a student and officer. A man’s man who capably wins the hearts of his soldiers, Kuribayashi seems like a role tailor-made for Watanabe.

We meet Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya), a baker who was shuffled off to the war and hopes to make it back to the simple life with his wife and child. Saigo irreverently curses the island, the war and his place in it. We are also introduced to Baron Nishi (Tsuyoshi Ihara), a former Olympic equestrian who, much like Kuribayashi, paradoxically shares fond memories of life in America.

Soon enough, the battle begins, and the viewer gets an eyeful to say the least. The Japanese are knowingly left to their own defenses, as the majority of the Japanese fleet has recently been destroyed off the Marianas. These men know they are going to die, whether it is at the hands of the Americans or by their own honorable methods. Yes, the suicides-by-grenade heard from afar in “Flags of Our Fathers” are depicted with ruthless candor in “Letters,” and it is the most harrowing sequence committed to film this year.

The three aforementioned performances head up what has to be seen as one of the year’s most organic and accomplished ensemble performances. The cast seems to live and breathe as something singular in that light, each character a part of a greater being. This makes the concentration on individuality in the film’s flashback sequences all the more poignant, sometimes more so than the greatest of American war cinema. Watanabe seems all but assured an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, and should the buzz really amp up, he’s got the stuff to steal the statue. Ninomiya also has enough heart-twisting moments to declare a place amongst the supporting actor regiment, should the snowball continue to build.

The craftsmanship is on par with “Flags of Our Fathers,” though the sound elements seem somehow more terrifying. Tom Stern’s cinematography really gets to show its stuff in the final act as the Japanese soldiers push through smoldering fields of dead trees and smoky post-battle remains. It might prove to be Academy award-winning work.

Joel Cox’s editing, meanwhile, is sufficient, though anything that runs nearly two and a half hours has fat to trim. Much of the central portion of “Letters” feels bloated and could have been consolidated, but within each sequence, his hand is masterful as always. Finally, Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens's score is mesmerizing. Truly, the simplicity of his approach reaches somewhat profound levels in the delicate, lingering theme he created for this film. It isn’t the orchestral accompaniment you typically see recognized by awards groups, but it is a deserving piece of work nonetheless.

Broad in its intentions and majestic in its revelations, I would go so far as to call “Letters from Iwo Jima” one of the most important cinematic creations of modern times. Regardless of perceived success or failure, there is something exceptional about an American filmmaker taking this approach, sympathetically revealing the story of a former enemy of his homeland. There is also something unsettling and altogether revealing about watching American soldiers depicted as faceless, nameless antagonists in this manner. As such, there is no film as self-inspecting as “Letters from Iwo Jima” this year or, seemingly, any other. Not in this manner.

“Letters” has already secured its place in the awards race of 2006, and from here, who knows what the unsuspecting late entry has in store? But ultimately, it can’t be stated enough that Clint Eastwood deserves ample appreciation and respect for creating these two films. Any director who would take on such a task would be deemed ambitious beyond his years, but for this filmmaker to do so at his age, it is staggering. Bravo.