War action movie could be better

Rating: 5/10 (8 April 2014)

Private Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) is a Navajo who is trained to be a code-talker in the Pacific. Joe Enders (Nicolas Cage) is a tough Marine sergeant who held his position in the difficult Soloman Islands. He is wounded with a perforated ear drum and have difficulties balancing. He fakes his medical with the help of nurse Rita (Frances O'Connor). He is then assigned the task of protecting the valuable code-talker and more importantly the code at all cost, implying that the code-talker must die rather than falling prisoner.
Director John Woo tries for a full blown war movie. It's not his usual fare. The action is certainly big enough. His usual style doesn't always translate into realistic action. Nicolas Cage doesn't seem to fit the character. I like Adam Beach better as the young naive soldier. The true story may be interesting but there are better war movies elsewhere. John Woo continues to use the close up reaction shots and the close up gun face off. It takes away from the gritty realism.