You’re ordering a pizza? Now?
The flashy, drawn out battles of Windtalkers (2002) certainly draw one’s attention, but their real function is to cover up a mediocre, mistaken story. Windtalkers refers to the Navajo communications men of the United States Marines, employed during World War II in the war against Japan. A communications code was developed based on the Navajo language, and so the Navajo were used on the front lines to relay information to the rear areas.
But this story is not really about them. It’s about one of two men who are assigned to act as escorts of two of the Windtalkers. Their assignment is not to protect the Windtalkers, but to protect the code – which may include killing the Windtalkers themselves, if necessary, for if the Japanese can force information out of a captured Windtalker, then the code is broken.
And more American lives can be lost.
The story moves on from there, with a perfectly (and unfortunately) telegraphed climax to come. The non-Navajo on which the story focuses was a loser in civilian life; in the war, he led a small force of men that were wiped out. When he recovered from the injuries suffered, he was offered this new assignment and given a promotion.
All of that is interesting, but the story really doesn’t use this information all that well. The story and its message muddled. We continue through the invasion of the island of Saipan, losing men, showing how the Windtalkers help zero in the heavy artillery on dangerous Japanese positions, until the unit to which the Windtalkers are attached is ambushed, and one is captured.
And then killed by an American, following orders. It’s not at all surprising, the audience knows it’s coming.
And, in all truth, I think a far more interesting story might have been explored by focusing on the Navajo. Was there controversy within the community at the thought of serving with the Americans? Were they really subject to the stereotypical racism as shown in this movie? How were the survivors of the war treated by the Navajo Nation upon return? These are all interesting questions that could have been fruitfully explored.
But this movie really isn’t that.
It’s not a bad war movie, but that’s all it is.
