In war, there are secrets that need to be kept – and heroes that need to keep them.
On December 8, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan. For the next several years, U.S. forces were fully engaged in battle throughout the Pacific, taking over islands one by one in a slow progression towards mainland Japan. During this brutal campaign, the Japanese were continually able to break coded military transmissions, dramatically slowing U.S. progress.
In 1942, several hundred Navajo Americans were recruited as Marines and trained to use their language as code. In John Woo’s Windtalkers, written by John Rice & Joe Batteer, Marine Joe Enders (Nicolas Cage) is assigned to protect Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) – a Navajo code talker, the Marines’ new secret weapon. Enders’ orders are to protect his code talker, but if Yahzee should fall into enemy hands, he’s to “protect the code at all costs.” Against the backdrop of the horrific Battle of Saipan, when capture is imminent, Enders is forced to make a decision: if he can’t protect his fellow Marine, can he bring himself to kill him to protect the code? The Navajo code was the only one never broken by the Japanese, and is considered to have been key in winning the war.
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.
Windtalkers Reviews:
"...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..."
-- Stephen Farber, Movieline's Hollywood Life
"...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..."
-- Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"...What makes Woo such a fascinating director is his rock-solid conviction..."
-- Glenn Kenny, Premiere
"...Woo approached the filming of the WINDTALKERS combat scenes with his usual gusto..."
-- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
"...Woo comes through with the voluminous action scenes fans have come to expect....WINDTALKERS is capably made and certainly impresses in carrying its length..."
-- Mike Clark, USA Today
"...The performances are perfectly palatable..."
-- Francesca Dinglasan, Box Office
"[N]ever less than heartfelt. The harrowing combat scenes sensibly eschew balletic beauty."
-- Matthew Leyland, Sight and Sound
Wintalkers "Lest we Foget" I have seen many War movies and I feel many have underrated this movie.
It did what it was intended to do bring Honour & appreciation for the"Windtalkers"
60 plus years no one took the initiative!
Mr. Woo did ...well done!
Submitted by cseyeprductions (Vancouver BC Canada) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Windtalkers= Great World War II Movie! Windtalkers was one of the best World War II movies I have ever seen. It had alot of action, good actors, awesome battle sequences and a very interesting plot. Nicolas Cage did the best job he did. I had to say Windtalkers is a movie you have to watch from beginning to end and you will be like... Wow! So, if each of you have not seen this movie. See it now. Although, I'll give this movie an A+. Submitted by joeldbatista (Tampa, Florida) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Lots of action in a heart warming story My husband and I enjoyed this movie very much. The story is very believable. I could see our gouvernment
sending an assassin along with the code-
talkers to protect the code, and letting the Navajo soldiers think they were there to protect them. Submitted by a reviewer (Imler, PA , USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo This review is for a different format.
A Vietnam Veterans opinion First I'd like to say what a pleasure it was to deal with CD Universe, professional,quick response & quick delivery time on my video.
The movie "WINDTALKERS" was realistic,lots of action and made very interesting as it's based on a true story of how our Navajo Indians contributed to the war (WWII) by using their native tongue which the Japanese could not break! Nicholas Cage gave a stellar preformance. One of my favorite actors ever since I saw him in "MOONSTRUCK" Submitted by a reviewer (Beverly Hills,Fl) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo This review is for a different format.
Not worth it Windtalkers is a WW2 movie that is all smoke and no fire.The action is'nt that exciting and the story only jerks you around.I have to say,the remake of The Thin Red Line was better. Submitted by Blake (Brandon,MS) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 0 of 1 found this helpful. This review is for a different format.
Wintalkers "Lest we Foget"
Windtalkers= Great World War II Movie!
Not worth it
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