Skip to content
Dom Robinson reviews
Windtalkers
MGM
- Cert:
- Cat.no: 22896 DVD
- Running time: 128 minutes
- Year: 2002
- Pressing: 2003
- Region(s): 2 (UK PAL)
- Chapters: 32 plus extras
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English, Russian
- Subtitles: English, Czech
- Widescreen: 2.35:1 (Super 35)
- 16:9-enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: No
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- RRP: £19.99
- Extras: Windtalkers Bravo Special, Actor’s Boot Camp, Fly on the Set Diaries,Behind the scenes Photo Gallery, Two Audio Commentaries
Director:
- John Woo
(Windtalkers)
Producers:
- Terrence Change, Tracie Graham-Rice, Alison R. Rosenzweig and John Woo
Screenplay:
- John Rice and Joe Batteer
Music :
- James Horner
Cast :
- Sgt. Joe Enders: Nicolas Cage
Pvt. Ben Yahzee: Adam Beach
Hjelmstad: Peter Stormare
Chick: Noah Emmerich
Pappas: Mark Ruffalo
Harrigan: Brian Van Holt
Nellie: Martin Henderson
Pvt. Charlie Whitehorse: Roger Willie
Rita: Frances O’Connor
Ox Henderson: Christian Slater
Major Mellitz: Jason Isaacs
It’s Saipan, 1943 and it’s time for another film about the SecondWorld War,the difference about Windtalkers being that it centres on theNavajo Indians’ ability to talk to each other in a special code, the only kindof code that the Japanese won’t pick up on in a hurry, thus giving the Americansthe upper hand in battle.
This is good news for Sgt. Joe Enders (Nicolas Cage) who lost all of hismen in their last mission, the words of one dying man shouting “Goddamn, youJoe Enders!” still ringing in his ears, and that’s not their only problembecause the altercation at the scene caused serious damage to his hearing.His next outing is to team up with Ox Henderson (Christian Slater) andensure two of the Navajo stay alive long enough to transmit enough code backto base so that success is the outcome.
Woo pulls out the usual traditions of big explosions, scenic views acrossinviting landscapes, bullet-ballets and the gun-to-gun moment, here as one ofthe Navajo war trainees, Pvt. Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) findshimself against an enemy and is too scared to face up to reality.
However, while it’s a perfectly watchable movie, it’s far from essential aswe’ve come across better WWII films withSaving Private RyanandPlatoon,both of which served up characters that were memorable.
The rest of the cast includes the underused Peter Stormare, Jason Isaacs,as well as Frances O’Connor as Rita, nurse and potential love interestfor Cage. I’ve also always got time for Christian Slater in a film and it’shigh time he was leading more again.
Filmed and presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, I have no complaintswith the picture. Crisp and clear with subtle light during nighttime scenesand striking boldness in the bright daytime.
Action scenes make for great listening in Dolby Digital 5.1, while JamesHorner‘s score lilts along even in the quietest moments.
Nothing too outstand in the extras dept. They begin with a WindtalkersBravo Special (11 mins) as non-anamorphic clips of the film are interspersedwith chat from the principal cast and crew. The film clips are in their original2.35:1 ratio and the rest of the on-set footage is non-anamorphic 16;9.
In order to train the cast up fully, it was felt they should go on anActor’s Boot Camp (15 mins). Shot in 4:3, John Woo wanted accuracyin all aspects of his film and, in August 2000, used this time to teach themmilitary tactics used in 1944 during the Marine invasion of Saipan. It’snot quite Full Metal Jacket.
There are four Fly on the Set Diaries (totalling 23½ mins), in whichshows behind-the-scenes footage on how cerain sections were made, namely”The Marine March on Saipan”, the use of the “Bazooka” in battle, when wargoes wrong in “Friendly Fire” and the “Village Ambush” towards the end of thefilm. All these diaries are in 16:9 non-anamorphic, but surely there areanamorphic versions available?
You’ll flick through the 35-strong Behind the scenes Photo Gallery onceand the supplements conclude with Two Audio Commentaries, one fromNicolas Cage and Christian Slater, the ohter from Roger Willieand Navajo Code Talker Albert Smith.
There are the usual 32 chapters to the movie for a big MGM title, dialogue comesin Dolby Digital 5.1 for English and Russian, with subtitles in English and Czech.The main menu features some animation and a looped piece of music from the film,while the rest are static and silent.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALL
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.