... What should he put first – his duty to the military, or his loyalty to a fellow officer?
Directed by John Woo, Windtalkers is one of the latest Hollywood war movie offerings. Woo is perhaps not a surprising choice to direct such a film, having previously directed a number of fast-paced, ... Read review
In the brutal World War II Battle of Saipan, Marines Joe Enders (Academy Award Winner ... more
Nicolas Cage) and Ox Anderson (Christian Slater) are assigned to protect Navajo American code talkers Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) and Charlie Whitehorse (Roger Willie). T...
John Woo's reputation as the world's best action director hits a major breakdown ... more
withWindtalkers, an overlong, over-silly, overwritten and overacted entry in the current American craze for war movies that combine extreme patriotism with hordes of Yanke...
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Production Year: 1970 - War - Director: Brian G. Hutton - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Carroll O'Connor, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles, Gavin MacLeod
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Directed by John Woo, Windtalkers is one of the latest Hollywood war movie offerings. Woo is perhaps not a surprising choice to direct such a film, having previously directed a number of fast-paced, stylish action films. Whilst the scene of a battle could never be described as a glamorous setting, scenes of combat could certainly provide plenty of potential for well-directed action sequences. It might come as something of a disappointment, therefore ... ...viewing and as you watch Windtalkers you find yourself descending further and further into a miserable slump. One by one, the friends and officers within Enders unit are killed in increasingly grisly ways, with a continual sprinkling of those human stories that demonstrate that these men are husbands and father just like the men that they are mowing down with their machine guns. The only variety in a film such as this is the selection of ways in ... more
Joe Enders is a highly experienced US marine who is seriously injured in battle. Haunted by the death of his colleagues, and limited by damage to the hearing in one of his ears, he despairs for his future. In a military hospital, he befriends one of the nurses who reassure him that he is in the best place, but is unable to convince him that he is not ready for combat again. When she sees that he has no other wish than to rejoin the war, she helps him pass a series of medical tests and he is promoted and assigned to a new mission.
The US Marines have suffered limited success as a direct result of the enemy capturing their code breakers. With these key personnel captured, it has become almost impossible to communicate in the field and many soldiers have been lost due to false information. In order to stay one step ahead of the opposition, the US Marines have assigned native Navajo Indians, whose language is used to transmit vital information during conflict. Enders and another officer are assigned to protect two of these Navajo Marines during an attack on Japan. Their instructions are quite explicit – on no account are either of the code breakers to be allowed to fall into enemy hands, even if that means that the two officers kill the Navajos themselves. In the heat of combat, Enders must make the hardest decision of his life. What should he put first – his duty to the military, or his loyalty to a fellow officer?
Directed by John Woo, Windtalkers is one of the latest Hollywood war movie offerings. Woo is perhaps not a surprising choice to direct such a film, having previously directed a number of fast-paced, stylish action films. Whilst the scene of a battle could never be described as a glamorous setting, scenes of combat could certainly provide plenty of potential for well-directed action sequences. It might come as something of a disappointment, therefore to discover that Windtalkers is a surprisingly flat piece of filmmaking and is almost unrecognisable as a Woo film.
The trouble with war films, particularly modern ones, is that they all tend to be much the same sort of thing. In a bizarre rash of social conscience, Hollywood directors appear to have collectively come to the conclusion that war is not a terribly pretty thing. As such, modern war movies now donate all their time and energy to the portrayal of war as an utterly pointless and grim spectacle. As true as this might be, it does make for terribly depressing viewing and as you watch Windtalkers you find yourself descending further and further into a miserable slump. One by one, the friends and officers within Enders unit are killed in increasingly grisly ways, with a continual sprinkling of those human stories that demonstrate that these men are husbands and father just like the men that they are mowing down with their machine guns. The only variety in a film such as this is the selection of ways in which people are killed. Some of them are quite predictable (note to self: don’t end up being the guy who has to carry the flame-thrower tanks.) Some of them are quite innovative (including a scene with a Japanese Samurai sword-wielding soldier). Either way, it starts to have a tendency to stray into the territory of a horror film, as opposed to that of a drama or action film.
What lifts Windtalkers slightly is that we also watch the men of Enders unit gradually coming to terms with the strangers in their midst. It is worth bearing in mind that the World War 2 timeline of the film is such that a race such as the Navajo were generally quite unusual to the average American soldier, and so we witness the terrible racist treatment that they suffer at the hands of their “colleagues”. There is something a little predictable about the fact that they end up becoming mates because they save each other’s lives, but it is generally a well-told story that never strays into sentimentality. There are those who are immediately tolerant, and there are those who are immediately prejudiced but it’s all very realistically done. My only real dislike of this part of the story was the extravagant use of the Navajo Marines playing their little pipes along with the other Marines and their conventional mouth organs. It’s all very noisy, very disruptive and frankly, very patronising too.
Despite my disappointment at the lack of Woo-style flourishes, the film is visually very well put together. The battle scenes are expertly crafted and very realistic indeed. The special effects are virtually faultless, and the audience is quickly engaged in the events on screen. You are easily able to appreciate the danger and desperation of the situation in much the same way that the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan demonstrated, if not quite so graphically. Enders wages his own private war on the enemy, with a hearty lust for combat and coupled with his battle against the injury to his ear, you can’t help feeling a little inspired by the man and his mission.
That aside, I still didn’t particularly like Enders’ character, partly perhaps due to the fact that it was Nicolas Cage who played him. Cage is not one of my favourite actors at all, and in Windtalkers he is probably average at best. He seems more than capable of demonstrating endless amounts of self-pity and aggression, but the more calmer and sincere side of his character is virtually lost. Don’t ask me why, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t quite look “right” either. His fellow officer, Sergeant Henderson is equally indifferent and Christian Slater was a poor choice for the part. I don’t really have anything against Christian Slater (I thought he was excellent in True Romance) but he is still too young and impetuous for the part and he might as well have been tattooed with “Doomed” across his forehead from the outset. The character of Ben Yahzee (one of the Navajo Marines) was infinitely more interesting for me, because his part was completely new territory. Adam Beach was excellent in the role, if not a little too jolly under the circumstances.
Windtalkers is a very powerful film that amply continues the trend to show just how awful a war really is. Nonetheless, the absence of any style from John Woo is quite surprising and a little disappointing because it promised to lift this film above the likes of We Were Soldiers and Black Hawk Down. As it is, it’s a watchable film, but I would expect that most hardened film viewers will find themselves thinking that it’s nothing you haven’t seen before and won’t see again.
Advantages: Some good acting, set pieces, an original idea, talented cast. Disadvantages: The idea isn't fully realized, poor script, glossy feel, poor directing, battle scenes.
War films were once made to tell a story of inhuman experiences; to depict the true grim reality of battle. Classics such as “Hamburger Hill,” “When Trumpets Fade,” “Saving Private Ryan” among others express the true immorality and graphic nature of war without exploiting it to make money based on shock value. While one may think with a title like “Windtalkers” that the inquisitive, philosophical nature of the film would be inevitable, many will ... ...be met with a movie of this nature directed by action-extraordinaire John Woo (“Broken Arrow,” “Face/Off”) and starring an actor who I have yet to see in a War film. Nicolas Cage is a great actor, although his demeanor, which I suspected, wouldn't fare to well in a movie of this genre. But building upon my statement of films exhibiting the nature of war in all of its detail, detailing just how gruesome it is. “Windtalkers” seems to enjoy being consistently ...
FilmsAtLarge 01.06.2003 (05.06.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Windtalkers (Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: Lots of Battle Action If You Like That Disadvantages: Superficial Plot, A Lost Opportunity
...the actors went through.
Windtalkers Bravo Special - making of featurette with cast and crew.
Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery.
Two Feature Length Audio Commentaries with main actors.
Fly on the Set Diaries.
I have to admit I have not watched any of the features and do not feel inclined to do so. ...
aliree 21.11.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Windtalkers (Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: see opinion Disadvantages: see opinion
This is a world war 2 film directed by John Woo who directed MI2 etc, an excellent director. Well he certainly did a good job with this movie.
The film is jammed full with 'biggie' actors such as Nicolas cage and Christian stator (who actually gets his head cut off with a samari sword, gory but cool!).Cage is a marine who must protect a Navajo (American Indian) who carries a secret code of communicating in the war, which must not get into the enemies ... ...battlefields on a Vietnamese island which the Americans must capture. An impressive, different hard-hitting storyline.
As you would expect from any war film its full of blood and guts flying around hitting the camera which helps to build the tension and pumps the adrenaline round whilst watching it, if you like that sort of thing that is! There are numerous explosions and good SFX which some of even look like fireworks!(how pretty).
One thing i ...
kev_macca 08.04.2003 (12.04.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Windtalkers (Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: great actors, great real life story Disadvantages: none
i love this film and yet i hate war films. says it all really. the news of the world said this was one of the best war movies of all time and I agree 100%.
nicholas cage and christian slater electrify the screen, both giving dazzling performances as marines Joe Enders (Cage) and Ox Anderson (Slater). ive never been a fan of nicholas cage (captain corelli's mandolin justifies that!) but he was sensational. this is his second time working with director ... ...a good film too i reckon!)
the story is based on the true life events surrounding the enlistment of navajo men to act as codetalkers for the american army during the world war 2 battle of Saipan. the navajo langauage had never been heard of by the japenese and it was down to these men that the americans won the war in the pacific.
the 2 main navajo men in this film are best friends, Ben Yahzee and Charlie Whitehorse. they are put in the care of ...
heatherlouisewallace 15.09.2003 (20.09.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Windtalkers (Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: Action-packed war movie. Disadvantages: Limited storyline.
When John Woo has a go at directing a film set during the second world war you can bet it will be packed with action from start to finish, and low and behold this film has exactly that. The story follows the efforts of marines who's mission it is to protect Navjo Indians recruited into the war to use military code based on the Navajo language. The marines protect the code by protecting the man and the story therefore allows for selfless feats of ... ...Nicolas Cage. Don't expect any anti-war messages here but do expect to be thrilled by some great battle scenes with slow motion sequences that have become a trademark in John Woo movies. The story is not particularly strong nor do I expect it was intended to be, but the action makes up for any shortcomings in the plot. The action is very well choreographed and exciting and fans of action films will find this film very enjoyable. When I watched the ...
Antnic78 08.06.2008 (09.06.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Windtalkers (Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Set during World War II, this is the story of two US Marines who are assigned the task of protecting Navajo Marines. The Navajo have been training to use a secret military code based on their own language. Will the Japanese be able to break the code...
Actors Bootcamp, Windtalkers Bravo Special, Behind The Scenes Photo Gallery, 2 Audio Commentaries, Fly On The Set Diaries
Aspect Ratio
2.40 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Czech English
Professional reviews
Review
"...The performances are perfectly palatable..." (Box Office, p.86, 01/07/2002)
"...A fascinating Woo movie....WINDTALKERS is a fresh contribution to the cinematic literature of American WWII movies from a Chinese born-director with a flair for the imagery of spiritual battle..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.65-6, 14/06/2002)
"...Woo approached the filming of the WINDTALKERS combat scenes with his usual gusto..." (Los Angeles Times, p.C2, 14/06/2002)
"...There are plenty of intricately choreographed battle scenes in WINDTALKERS, but action meister Woo also finds the complicated humanity in this offbeat tale of American friendship and obsession..." (Movieline, p.36-8, 01/06/2002)
"...What makes Woo such a fascinating director is his rock-solid conviction..." (Premiere, p.18, 01/07/2002)
"...Woo comes through with the voluminous action scenes fans have come to expect....WINDTALKERS is capably made and certainly impresses in carrying its length..." (USA Today, p.6E, 14/06/2002)
DVD Description
WINDTALKERS begins quietly--with widescreen aerial shots of clouds that gradually clear to reveal the beautiful mesas of Monument Valley. A bus collects Navajo volunteers Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) and Charlie Whitehorse (Roger Willie). It's 1943, and the U.S. has developed an indecipherable secret military code based on the Navajo language. Yahzee and Whitehorse are to be trained as code talkers. Then John Woo's Pacific war film erupts into violence, with a savage battle that has one survivor, Joe Enders (Nicolas Cage). Badly wounded and feeling guilty at the loss of his companions, Joe recuperates in Hawaii where he is helped by a sympathetic nurse (Frances O'Connor). Joe disguises his hearing loss and he is promoted as Yahzee's battlefield bodyguard. Ordered to "protect the code at all times," Joe must prevent Yahzee from being captured. At first, Yahzee and Whitehorse, whose bodyguard is Ox Henderson (Christian Slater), are subjected to prejudice--particularly from Rogers (Noah Emmerich). But when the unit is shipped to Saipan, the Marines begin to appreciate the code talkers. Director Woo has created a powerful drama. The visceral battle sequences are strikingly filmed and there is fine acting from Cage, Beach, Willie, Slater, Emmerich, and Frances O'Connor, who portrays the poignancy of love in uncertain times.
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