Starring: Nicolas Cage, Adam Beach, Peter Stormare, Noah Emmerich, Mark Ruffalo Directed By: John Woo Average Rating: Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: VHS Tape Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC Label: MGM (Video & DVD) Number of Items: 1 Release Date: February 04, 2003 Running Time: 134 minutes Theatrical Release Date: June 14, 2002
Description: In the brutal World War II Battle of Saipan, Sergeant Joe Enders (Academy Award® winner*Nicolas Cage) guardsand ultimately befriendsBen Yahzee (Adam Beach), a young Navajo trained in the one wartime code never broken by the enemy, the Navajo Code. But if Yahzee should fall into Japanese hands, how far will Enders go to save the military's most powerful secret? John Woodirects this "exciting" (Premiere),
Amazon.com: Having earned Hollywood's respect with blockbusters like Face/Off and Mission: Impossible 2, Hong Kong action master John Woo lends his signature style to serious World War II action in Windtalkers. Recognizing the long-forgotten contribution of Navajo "code talkers," whose use of an unbreakable Navajo-language radio code was instrumental in defeating the Japanese, the film serves as an admirable tribute to those Native American heroes. Unfortunately, it falls short of importance with its standard-issue story about a battle-scarred sergeant (Nicolas Cage) assigned to protect a code-talker (Adam Beach, from Smoke Signals), with unspoken orders to kill him if Japanese capture is imminent. This allows for an involving drama of hard-won friendship, but cardboard supporting characters suffer in the shadow of nonstop action that's as repetitious as it is technically impressive. Windtalkers is best appreciated as a more substantial vehicle for Woo's trademark ballet of bullets. --Jeff Shannon
Gimme A Break! I like Cage & Slater, and I'm ok with war movies, but this was such a let down. First of all, it ISN'T even about the Navaho Windtalkers, it's about Cage's character and his flashbacks to the brutality he experienced in combat, and these combat scenes went on for so long that I forgot what I was watching. The story-line for the Native American windtalkers was barely noticed because there was no real plot for either Navaho character. The script for these characters was probably two pages. The only big deal was in Hollywood because of the director. I gave the movie one star, and that is for the "feeble attempt" to show the heroic involvement of our Native Americans in WWII - but what a huge disappointment.
A John Woo style war movie Some people may think that someone's head is cut off in the movie is unrealistic, but Japanese did it often in China during World War II. A interesting and John Woo style war movie. I am looking forward for his next war movie.
Without the Codetalkers, we might have lost the war Sergeant Joe Enders (Cage) is cheating his hearing exam to get back out into the fight. What he doesn't know is that he's going to get assigned to a new duty, protecting the Code from the Japanese. On the surface, that means he's protecting a Navajo Indian soldier, a Codetalker, who speaks the one cipher the Japanese have not broken--his Native language. He's teamed up with "Ox" Anderson (Christian Slater).
He advises Ox: "I wouldn't get too friendly."
Enders is teamed up with Private Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach), who is so new he hardly knows how to handle the food rations. He doesn't plan to get involved with his new charge, but he ends up doing so.
This is a tough film to watch. It's very real, according to the veterans I have encountered. It's a testament to the bravery of these young Native soldiers who helped us win the War. Very well-acted and very well worth the time.
Rebecca Kyle, July 2008
Windtalkers This film details how the Marines used Navaho's to secure their radio and land line communications during WW II. The Japanese were never able to break the Navaho native language code and the success of this program was one of the bright lights of the Pacific campaings. Lots of action.
Surprisingly good. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The characters were believable without drowning in their own melodrama. The action scenes were graphic but not gratuitous. I would highly recommend it! You can understand how Nicholas Cage's character is inevitably drawn into a relationship. Adam Beach's character was credible and not the least bit stereotyped. I half expected his character to be some Hollywood Native American step and fetch it but that was definitely not the case. He was wonderful and provided an insightful, nuanced performance.
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