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Windtalkers (2002)

DVD Cover (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
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Overall Rating 52%
Overall Rating
Ranked #2,001
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WWII. Joe Enders, a decorated Marine who is by-the-book to a fault, is just coming back on duty (by cheating on his medical tests). "Ox" Anderson, much greener, is also getting the same new task: Protect the Navajo codetalkers. While Enders is initially frustrated with his assignment, his respect grows as the codetalkers prove their worth in the brutal battle to take Saipan. --IMDb
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Review by bluemeanie
Added: June 28, 2005
Originally scheduled for release in June of 2001, in was pushed back to November because of some last minute editing director John Woo felt was necessary. However, after the September 11 attacks, it's release date was pushed back yet again, this time to June 14, nearly one year after its original release date. Alas, "Windtalkers" should have remained on the shelves, never to see the same light of day as other films. Why? Because this piece of crap deserves nothing but a quick and reckless destruction.

Nicolas Cage stars as Sergeant Joe Enders who, after getting his entire platoon killed by the enemy, fakes being well in order to get another assignment. So, the Marines charge him with watching after a Navajo code talker (Adam Beach), acting as sort of a babysitter to the Native American soldier. And, he is instructed to protect the code at all costs, even if it means killing the code talker in the process. Christian Slater, Mark Ruffalo, and Noah Emmerich play fellow code talkers and Peter Stormare is the leader of the platoon.

So, what's wrong with the movie, you are probably wondering? Well, here you go: (1) Nicolas Cage is terrible. He could have done such a better job and it feels as if he doesn't know why the hell he is even in the picture; (2) the fight scenes are awful. Ugh. They looked completely staged and unauthentic; (3) cliché after cliché after cliché. How many times must we watch the same old redundant bullcrap without growing immune to their persuasions; (4) this was essentially an action flick set to the backdrop of World War II. John Woo tried sneaking in stuff about the Navajo way of life, but surrounded it with too much shooting and corny dialogue; (5) Noah Emmerich must have forgot how to act since "The Truman Show" because he was laughable; (6) this film is more comical than action packed or dramatic--Nicolas Cage keeps receiving letters from a girl back home who has absolutely zero relevance to the plot, other than to add a few extra minutes of crap. And, Christian Slater has a role that most other stars of his worth would have turned down in a heartbeat because they knew it was useless crap.

I hope that clarified why this is the worst film I have seen this year, and the worst war movie I have ever seen, and that covers a lot of crappy ground. I was extremely pissed off after watching this film because I had expected so much from it; I thought it might be John Woo's big break into serious drama. Now, I realize that John Woo really has very minimal talent as a director of anything other than explosions and pyrotechnics. This film should dominate the Golden Raspberry Awards, and since I am a licensed member of the Razzies, you can bet your ass it will get my vote.

So, this is my final plea: go see something else. Avoid this immense waste of time and catch something with some substance to it, something that doesn't look like it was through together at the last minute like some dinner party stew. Maybe John Woo should have not edited it that final time. Maybe then it would have been something. Then again, it would take a hell of a lot more than some editing to fix this stinky load of crap. The only thing "Windtalkers" spoke to was my stomach. 0/10.
Ginose #1: Ginose - added December 8, 2008 at 8:37pm
This is probablly the only movie that has ever made me openly say "Why didn't John Woo's fat-ass stay in Asia?"
1.5/10
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