Windtalkers (2002)

Two U.S. Marines in World War II 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

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

During World War II when the Americans needed to find a secure method of communicating they devised a code using the Navajo language. So Navajos were recruited to become what they call code talkers. They would be assigned to a unit and would communicate with other units using the code so that even though the enemy could listen they couldn't understand what they were saying. And to insure that the code is protected men are assigned to protect it at all costs. One of these men is Joe Enders, a man who sustained an injury that can make him unfit for duty but he manages to avoid it and is told of his duty and that the man he is suppose to protect is Ben Yahzee. Initially there is tension but the two men learn to get along.

---

Plot Keywords:

japanese army | japanese soldier | navajo indian | u.s. soldier | code | 

---

Taglines:

The Navajo Has the Code. Protect the Code at All Costs.

---

Genres:

Action | Drama | War

---

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:

Wind Talkers

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$115,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,520,412, 16 June 2002, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$40,914,068

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$77,628,265

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:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

---

Goofs

The Saipan landings did not start in a large valley as in the film.

---

Quotes

Sargeant Ryan 'Ox' Anderson: Do your johns have any thing to do with these Navajo radiomen?
Joe Enders: I'm not at liberty to say.
Sargeant Ryan 'Ox' Anderson: [notices a new stripe on his uniform] See you got a new stripe on, me too. So I'm guessin the same orders i aint liberated to tell you is the same orders you aint liberated to tell me.
Joe Enders: This is no democracy Sergant, this is the Marines. They look pretty normal I guess, expectin them to wear war paint.
Sargeant Ryan 'Ox' Anderson: Well we might want to go and introduce ourselves they look a little lost.
Joe Enders: Anderson, I wouldn't get too ...
[...]

---

Alternate Versions

A few scenes and lines of dialouge were either altered or missing from the finished film. An early scene of Joe and a nurse in their car on the beach has them two talking about the world being a pretty place and joe says it's not. Another scene of Joe and Yazi talking. Joe asks "seen any combat?" Yazi answers "No, but i am looking forward to getting into some" There are a few other small lines of dialouge that was left out. These were most likely cut because of pacing.

---

Connections

Featured in The Music of 'Windtalkers' (2003)

---

Soundtracks

The Marine's Hymn
Music by Jacques Offenbach
Sung at the embarkation party

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.