By Paul Hall
The new film Midway from director Roland Emmerich explores the time between the attack at Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway, a pivotal point in World War II, and the men and women who were impacted by the military action in the Pacific.
In the days leading up to the fateful strike by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, the United States naval fleet was filled with colorful characters. Lt. Dick Best (Ed Skrein) was known as a pilot who was a bit of a hotshot. Always pushing the envelope, Best wanted to be ready for anything, and that turns out to be just the first moment of foreshadowing for the battle to come.
Intelligence in the war was at a premium, and not everyone within the community was well liked or respected. Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson) was the man when it came to wrangling through all the coded messages that were intercepted with his crack team of codebreakers. To Layton, the next target is clear — the next target is Midway.
Best and Layton respect each other despite their distance in the field, and they are just two of the people who are focused on in this film as the cast is littered with big names, all providing their talents to portray those who had a role in this underdog fight.
Every last person is needed for this effort, and that is the beauty of a cast this full of talent. From Woody Harrelson as Adm. Chester W. Nimitz to Dennis Quaid as the strong leader Vice Adm. Bull Halsey, Emmerich has garnered some very worthwhile cast members. Other stars include the likes of Luke Evans, Mandy Moore, Aaron Eckhart, Darren Criss, Nick Jonas, Alexander Ludwig and so many more. The talented men and women portraying these figures are a huge benefit for the film.
This story deserves to be told again for another generation, to continue educating audiences on the amazing people who went to war and sacrificed everything. From the standpoint of storytelling and casting, Midway is a winner.
Unfortunately, that is not all of what makes up this 2019 effort. The special effects straddle the line between amazing and silly. One moment it’s breathtaking to observe, while the next you just want to cover your eyes. The dialogue can be overly cheesy and off-putting at times. Should all that matter? That’s the question I’m faced with here. I don’t think it will with the target audience, as they are going for the history of the moment, and that feels authentic.
We can’t forget battles from World War II. We can’t forget the devastation caused by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. We can’t forget the brave individuals who fought and supported the efforts to protect us in the Pacific. And if Midway helps those causes, it’s OK in my book.
Paul’s Grade: B- / C+
Midway
Rated PG-13
Stars: Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans
Director: Roland Emmerich
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