Windtalkers Review
by Robin Clifford (robin AT reelingreviews DOT com)June 13th, 2002
"Windtalkers"
In the first months of the fight for the South Pacific during World War II the Japanese successfully broke every code the Americans possessed, drastically slowing the advance of Marine forces. Several hundred Navajo Americans were recruited into the Marine Corps and trained in the use of a super secret code based on their native tongue. When sent into battle, each code talker was assigned a bodyguard whose order were "to protect the code at all costs" and we follow two such men in John Woo's "Windtalkers."
Marine Sergeant Joe Enders has had a troubled time. He followed his orders to the letter during the fight for Guadalcanal and all it got him were 15 dead men, his whole unit, and severe injuries from a grenade. Tormented by the loss of his men, Joe, with the help of pretty, sweet Nurse Rita (Frances O'Connor), gets assigned back to active duty and takes the job of protector for code talker, Pvt. Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach, "Smoke Signals"). The tragedy of Enders' previous command makes him keep his ward at arm's length and not allow himself to get to know the man during the murderous battle for Saipan. He struggles, throughout the story, with the meaning of his orders - if he cannot protect his code talker, can he take the final, drastic step necessary to protect the code?
Nicolas Cage gives Joe Enders a sullen, haunted air that softens only a little as Joe gets to know and like Ben. It is a two-dimensional character mainly because of the nature of the film that has the big draw of explosive action, not acting. Adam Beach is thoroughly likable as Ben Yahzee, a happily married guy who has a little boy named George Washington Yahzee. It is obvious to Ben that Joe is an extremely troubled man and works hard to break down the barriers his bodyguard has built up between them. Beach's sunny demeanor isn't the only note the actor plays. When Ben gets his first taste of blood in battle, the young actor is almost scary in his lust to kill the enemy. Ben and Joe are two good characters but, unfortunately, are buried under the action.
There is an echo, in "Windtalkers," of the patriotic war movies of the 40's, usually starring John Wayne and an eclectic cast of characters from all walks of American life. Woo attempts to revisit the idea of the melting pot Marine outfit and has some limited success. There's Chick (Noah Emmerich) a burly, bigoted Texan who has a chip on his shoulder about the Indian, Ben, in his squad. Of course, in a fashion true to such films as "The Sands of Iwo Jima," Chick learns to eventually respect and admire his Native American brother-in-arms. Pappas (Mark Ruffalo) is a second-generation Greek immigrant who hyperventilates at the height of battle but is a darn good Marine despite his fears. Harrigan (Brian Van Holt) is a former Florida surfer dude who traded his board for a deadly flamethrower. Scared, inexperienced Nellie (Martin Henderson) can't keep his young wife out of his mind. Finally, there is Gunny Hjelmstad (Peter Stormare) as the veteran squad leader who harkens from Scandinavia (though Stormare's accent is a mystery). Christian Slater gives the best perf as another bodyguard for code talker Charlie Whitehorse (Roger Willie). But with action the key word to "Windtalkers," the acting and character development of these men take a back seat.
Action is the name of the game in any John Woo film and the director finally has enough bombs and bullets to satisfy his penchant for mayhem. He captures the confusion, violence and the utter savagery of combat and pulls zero punches in putting you, the viewer, in the midst of the chaos of battle. Woo uses some computer-generated images of fighter plane attacks and battleship bombardments, but the scope of his huge live-action battle scenes is impressive with as many as 700 extras being used. The helmer, with cinematographer Jeffrey Kimball, shoots the battles in a fast-moving, fluid manner (with as many as 14 cameras) that reminds me of such Lewis Milestone films as "All Quiet On the Western Front" and "Pork Chop Hill." There is nothing static about "Windtalker" and the rest of the techs are equal to the imposing task of recreating the look and feel of the Battle of Saipan.
Don't go looking for a human face being put on the Marines' Japanese opponents. It's kill or be killed and there is no time for delving into any moral questions - except for the one that is the film's theme. Unfortunately, the moral dilemma that Joe must face and cope with is not delved into as deeply as it could/should be as writers John Rice and Joe Batteer create a story that is grand in its depiction of war. There is a flow to the tale that couples the daily grind of the mud Marines and a pretty fair history lesson of the Saipan campaign. There should have been more character development to bring the lives of the men to heart, but that would probably have meant a reduction in the bombastic battle scenes, something I doubt that Woo would give up. It may have made "Windtalker" a better film, though.
War film fans, history buffs, followers of John Woo and the action faction out there will enjoy "Windtalker." The soul of the story is never given a chance to emerge and, as such, I was never drawn into the lives of the men. It is a finely crafted work and a good but not great film. I give it a B.
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