Windtalkers (2002) : All is Fair in Cage & War [Mike’s Review]
Today on Cage Club we protect the code at all costs in “Windtalkers”. This movie deals with a very heavy theme that has been prevalent since the very start of Cage Club and that is the mater of War. Cage has made several War films by now dealing with several different aspects of life. In Racing With the Moon he played a boy shipping off to become a Marine and fight in WW2. In Birdy he played a traumatized Vietnam veteran, and in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin he plays a lover and musician sent to fight again in WW2. In the movie Windtalkers, Cage is a marine yet again and also off fighting in WW2, but this is unlike any of the previous Cage War films in scope and scale.
The movie stars Cage as Joe Enders, a Marine tasked with protecting the life of a Navaho American Code Talker. Joe considered himself a great Marine but is haunted by the death of his squad in the Solomon Islands where he was left in charge, but all went tits up. He wants to get back in the shit and kill the Axis forces but feels the need to keep his distance and not grow too attached to anyone anymore, for fear they will all just die on him. The Axis has been breaking Allied codes left and right until the one developed based on the Navaho language was created. Enter Ben Yahzee and Charlie Whitehorse, two Navaho trained in the language of code and sent to Saipan to help co-ordinate attacks so they can secure the island. Joe hesitates to get to know Ben, the Navaho he is to protect, and actively tries to be unlikable. It is problematic at first, especially when Ben constantly tries to reach out for some kind of acceptance. Their lack of a bond shows in several miscommunications leading to the day of the battle. It is not until the heat of battle when Joe and Ben must use teamwork that Joe starts to understand the tactical value of a friendship with Ben. It’s not an easy friendship, and Joe is constantly reminded that he may need to kill Ben to protect the code from falling into enemy hands. Joe wants to achieve a balance with Ben, but is scared of opening up, which would make losing him even worse. Along the way they get into incredible fights with massive amounts of pyro technics include lots of people on fire and even a guy wielding a flamethrower. Throughout the intense battles on Saipan, Joe and Ben learn to navigate their differences and develop a connection which helps them find the strength they need to keep on fighting when all hope seems lost.
Windtalkers is a huge sprawling epic in the grand tradition of Hollywood masterpieces. Director John Woo returns to Cage Club after Face/Off to orchestrate a violent opera of epic proportions. This film has massive battles filled with tons of extras that rival any War film to come before or after. I had never seen this movie before Cage Club and now hold it in the highest esteem with the likes of Saving Private Ryan, which I think it gives a serious run for it’s money. I noticed that John Woo isn’t as interested in glamorizing the violence this time around with slow motion or cool angles, but rather uncharacteristically opts to present the carnage in real time and matter of factly. It is a welcome change of style that suites him just as well as his more hyper realistic films. There is no doubt that his full ability is on display in Windtalkers as he expertly directs immense action sequences as well as intimate moments to weave this walk through history.
I was not aware of the Code talkers before seeing this film and appreciated learning something new while watching a movie. That is always an added bonus. There is something about the real life aspect of these Navaho fighting for a country that tried so hard to eliminate them that is extremely touching. The men and women of all American Indian Tribes deserve our respect and gratitude for being big enough and proud enough o put aside their trouble of the past to secure a future for their children and the future of America.
I still have trouble processing some of the amazing action in this film. While some off it borders on surreal and all of it is ultra-violent, you always get the sense that it was worse there in person. The safety net of knowing this is only a movie is most reassuring this time around.
Next up on Cage Club is a very special movie, “Sonny”. It is the one and only directorial effort of none other than the man himself, Nicolas Cage. This movie is a project that he had wanted to star in at one time and finally got the chance to make with James Franco in the part he was going to play. What is even better than a movie directed by cage is the fact that he cameos in it as well. We will get to see how Nic Cage directs himself !!! I can’t wait and I know it will be a very special moment in Cage Club history, however brief it’s been thus far.
Mike
@the_mikestir
