Product: Midway (Collector's Edition) (1976)
Rating: 3.0
Key Military Victory
This action packed film depicts the American defeat of the Japanese in the battle of Midway, a key strategic moment since a Japanese victory would have moved them much closer to attacking the United States itself. A huge cast of big names and familiar faces enacts the drama. The action scenes are well played out and dramatic, while a poorly developed romantic subplot involving a fighter pilot and his Japanese fiancee would have been better left on the cutting room floor. What I enjoyed most was the behind the scenes drama of how the attack was planned by the Japanese and defended by the Americans. It all came down to some bad decisions by the Japanese, some gutsy decisions by the Americans, weather problems, and sheer luck. Henry Fonda and Hal Holbrook stand out in the cast, while Charlton Heston once again mistakes intensive jaw clenching for dramatic acting. Director Jack Smight needed to pace the film better, and the script needed a re-write. But there's more than enough action to keep the viewer watching and marvelling how different the War could have turned out were it not for a few fateful decisions.