Good, But Could've Been a LOT Better

Rating: 4/10 (8 November 2019)

We start off with a scene of Edwin Layton at a party in Japan before returning to the United States from an assignment overseas. ADM Yamamoto chats with him in a room filled with large, framed photographs of various IJN vessels (many of which we've all seen before). This is the only time a Japanese person speaks English in the film; all the rest of the Japanese scenes are in Japanese. ADM Yamamoto is - at the time this scene occurs - serving as Navy Minister. He is wearing full ADM's insignia, which is inaccurate; he was not promoted ADM until 15 November 1940, over a full year after assuming command of the Combined Fleet. This minor point is indicative of how the IJN is going to be passed off in this film.
As to the Japanese ships themselves, from what little they are shown - the USN is the main focus - don't look too bad at a glance. Akagi and Hiryu have their islands on the correct side (at least that much was accurate), though the bridge sets for the Japanese carriers could've been done a little better. The character of Genda Minoru is wearing Captain's insignia; again, incorrect; he was a CDR at Midway and was not promoted CAPT until 1 May 1944. He also appears to have taken over the role of Nagumo's Chief-of-Staff, as RADM Kusaka Ryunosuke (the actual Chief-of-Staff of 1st Air Fleet) was apparently eliminated from the film entirely.
Yamato is shown in the film three times, but I was unable to tell if she is accurately portrayed (correct gun placements). Nagara is seen a couple times briefly during the air attacks; she doesn't look too bad at a glance. A Tone-class CA is also seen briefly in the same scene. There is a Kongo-class BB that the main character (LT Dick Best) flies over, though she appears to be portraying an early 1930s version of the ship as the bridge structure is horribly wrong. Tone #4 sights the Americans, and the vessel shown is a Colorado-class BB steaming along accompanied by what appear to be some DDs. I visibly cringed, as there were no American battleships present at the Battle of Midway.
Another main character is Bruno Gaido. His capture and execution as a POW is portrayed, but it is done inaccurately. According to numerous sources, Gaido was tied to some fuel cans and dropped overboard. In the film, he is tied to a spare ANCHOR and dropped overboard. Where a DD got a spare anchor I have no idea; also, one would think fuel cans would be an easier prop to use than an anchor, but what do I know? Again, the insignia is wrong; the officer portrayed as Makigumo's CO (CDR Fujita Isamu) is wearing Captain's insignia; he never wore that rank while he was alive (posthumous promotion after being KIA as Senior Staff Officer of Cruiser Division 14 aboard Naka on 3 November 1943).
The submarine Nautilus is shown attacking the Japanese fleet, though she is depicted as firing a torpedo at Akagi, which hits, but is a dud. In reality, she didn't attack a Japanese carrier until AFTER the fatal attack occurred, and the ship she attacked was Kaga, not Akagi.
The sinking of the Japanese carriers is done well; Emmerich excels at explosions and his destruction of Kaga (pretty much the explosion of the White House in ID4, only put a carrier in place of the White House and no alien ship firing a laser beam at it and you've got it) is perfect proof of that statement. As in the 1976 film, the sinking of the heavy cruiser Mikuma on 6 June 1942 is eliminated entirely. Yamaguchi's final moments aboard Hiryu are depicted correctly for the most part; the only inaccuracy is that it is apparently his Adjutant - a LTJG - who asks to stay with him and not his Senior Staff Officer CDR Ito Seiroku. Also, Yamaguchi does not hand over his cap as a souvenir like he did in real life. While Hiryu is shown being torpedoed, she - like the other Japanese carriers - are not shown sinking on screen.
One plus this film does have over Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor is that there is NO love story focus. The film does show interaction between one of the main characters (LT Dick Best) and his wife, but it is by no means a focal point of the story.
In closing, if you're a fan of war movies, exciting aerial action, or explosions, watch it repeatedly...you'll love it. If you're a history buff, definitely see it once. If you're an IJN fan, see it once, but that's about all you need. The 1976 film - while more inaccurate, shows more of the Japanese side than this film does. Stick with that.
My grade for Midway: A low 'B' or a high 'B-'. It's definitely worth seeing once, but I won't be paying to see it again in theaters, nor will I be buying it for my DVD collection. I might change my mind once it hits Walmart's $5 bin, but for right now, no.