Original Story Makes 'Windtalkers' An Educational Experience

Over the years, World War II movies have continued to grow in popularity though generally the stories each told were the same. Most focus on either the war in Europe or the attack on Pearl Harbor, rather than the war fought in the Pacific. MGM's action-packed war drama "Windtalkers," however, is a different kind of World War II film. A film that takes a close look at those who fought in the Pacific-- or more specifically, in Saipan-- "Windtalkers" not only tells the story of some heroes well overdue for their recognition, but also breathes life into the World War II genre by telling a story that even the biggest WWII fanatic may not be aware of.

In 1942, several hundred Navajo Americans joined the U.S. Marines as code talkers, Marines who could transmit radio messages using a secret code based on their native language. "Windtalkers" focuses on two Marines, Joe Enders (Nicolas Cage) and Ox Anderson (Christian Slater), who are given strict orders to protect two such code talkers no matter what the cost. However, as the Battle of Saipan continues, Enders and Anderson end up breaking the biggest order of them all-- not to befriend their code talkers. As the war goes on, the two Marines are faced with the difficult question: should their code talkers fall into enemy hands, which is more important-- the bond between two Marines or protecting the code at all costs?

Like most war films, "Windtalkers" is filled with its share of explosions and mutilated bodies. In the mist of gunfire though lies an emotional story that deals not only with the bond between two Marines, but also between Navajos and the American soil. Screenwriters John Rice and Joe Batter pen a gripping story about how far people will go in times of need to protect the place they call home, even when majority of the population considers their land to be someone else's. Rice and Batter litter the script with references about how many of the Marines really felt about having the Navajo fight, showing audiences how the unwanted ally ended up becoming one of the key players in winning the war.

Although Rice and Batter write an entertaining and educational script, it's the cast of "Windtalkers" that truly keeps the audience's eyes glued to the screen. Nicolas Cage gives another "Leaving Las Vegas"-caliber performance as the angst-ridden, revenge-seeking Joe Enders, a Marine who would rather turn to the bottle than human arms for comfort. Despite discarding his code talker as nothing more than a task, audiences will never once see Enders as anything but a dehumanized soldier haunted by his past experiences in battle. Meanwhile, Christian Slater brings a light-heartedness to the emotional and serious story, providing just the right amount of comic relief during all the right moments. Slater delivers one of his more memorable performances in recent years, and is the perfect all-around-good-guy to Cage's cold-hearted counterpart.

Go To Page: 1 2