Windtalkers (2002)

Two U.S. Marines in WWII are assigned to protect Navajo Marines who use their native language as an unbreakable radio cypher.

Director:

John Woo

Writers:

John Rice, Joe Batteer

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Adam Beach, Peter Stormare

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	Sergeant Joe Enders
Adam Beach	...	Private Ben Yahzee
Peter Stormare	...	Gunnery Sergeant Hjelmstad
Noah Emmerich	...	Private Chick
Mark Ruffalo	...	Private Pappas
Brian Van Holt	...	Private Harrigan
Martin Henderson	...	Private Nellie
Roger Willie	...	Private Charlie Whitehorse
Frances O'Connor	...	Rita
Christian Slater	...	Sgt. Pete 'Ox' Anderson
Jason Isaacs	...	Major Mellitz
Billy Morts	...	Fortino (as William Morts)
Cameron Thor	...	Mertens
Kevin Cooney	...	Ear Doctor
Holmes Osborne	...	Colonel Hollings

Storyline

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 (Ben Yahzee and Charles Whitehorse, respectively). While Enders is initially frustrated with his assignment, his respect grows as the codetalkers prove their worth in the brutal battle to take Saipan.

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Plot Keywords:

code | military | letter | u.s. marine | radio | 

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Taglines:

America Has The Last Word.

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Genres:

Action | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive graphic war violence, and for language

Details

Official Sites:

MGM Official site [South Korea]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Navajo Japanese

Release Date:

14 June 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Códigos de Guerra

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$115,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$244,595 (Brazil) (25 October 2002)

Gross:

$368,655 (Brazil) (1 November 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Lion Rock Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min 153 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

To add authenticity, MGM bought some genuine WWII-vintage radios from Samuel M. Hevener, a collector from Ohio.

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Goofs

When Enders is describing to Yahzee how he threw the first medal he received into the ocean, his raised hand alternates between right and left between shots.

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Quotes

Private Chick: I dont wanna die in this shit hole, Joe.
Joe Enders: You're not gonna die... nobody else is gonna die. We're gonna make it out of this.

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Connections

Referenced in American Heroes: A Tribute to Navajo Code Talkers (2003)

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Soundtracks

"IÄ 'OE E KA LÄ"
Traditional
Performed by Kunewa Mook and Hula Hälau 'O Kamuela

User Reviews

Good parts are good, bad parts really bad...

First, the bad: Nicholas Cage's over-the-top, suicidal maniac, idiotic self-pitying marine played with no subtlety at all. Peter Stormare's lousiest performance to date, he's been going downhill since the excellent work in FARGO. Perhaps that one was just luck for him, and a good script. Excessive battle scenes, so much so as to give the viewer shell-shock too. For these, a ONE.

The good: both Adam Beach and Roger Willie give solid, well-bodied performances as the Navajo code talkers. The effort to recognize the contribution of the Navajo code talkers is a very positive aspect here, and for these reasons the film deserves a NINE. I give it an average of FIVE.