This is another great war movie that shows you a different perspective of battle, which is the view from the officers. Review film Midway versi 1976, berdasarkan peristiwa nyata akan peperangan besar antara Amerika Serikat dan Jepang di laut Pasifik, tepatnya dekat kepulauan Midway, yang diimplementasikan secara efektif, sebagai tontonan megah. I was very predisposed to like this film. But this "Midway" was filmed for 1976, and so cannot be as straightforward. The paper points out that "Midway" is a historical film that uses archival footage to make the action seem more realistic. It also holds up sticking fairly close to the time line of actual events, but there are several events omitted. If Midway really was the hot shit it thinks it is, we’d have something to talk about. Tora! Midway (1976) was directed by Jack Smight and written by Donald S. Sanford. External Reviews Sadly, I noticed that the film was an abysmal mess. The wounded are taken ashore. Most of the male stars who appear in MIDWAY look as though they rehearsed their grumpy expressions and gruff delivery of dialogue before a mirror and then went before the cameras without sufficient rehearsal. Most of the lead actors could have served at Midway. However, whereas the first two are war classics, Midway falls short in many departments. The indoor officers were in nice neat uniforms, while the pilots, Marines, and common sailors had a weary rumpled look. The indoor officers were in nice neat uniforms, while the pilots, Marines, and common sailors had a weary rumpled look. Conclusion: Midway (1976) Film Review. conversion aircraft were still local to Universal Studios at Orange County or Chino airports at the time of filming. Midway is a big, bold, brazen attempt to detail one of World War II’s most significant moments. But for me, this movie has two strong points in its favor. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. Some might like that but I thought it was a bit cheap and dishonest. The subplot about Japanese-Americans is ridiculous and seems like a forced attempt to be PC during the post-Vietnam 1970s when it wasn't in fashion to be completely celebratory of America. As I said, this is a fairly traditional war film, but in one respect (apart from the use of colour) it clearly reflects the fact that it was made in 1976 rather than, say, 1946 or 1956. Poorly integrated stock footage detracts from the action sequences and the characters' stories are too thin to carry the film alone. … It has the same pieced-together feel as the visuals. I am sure. Retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Samuel J. Cox, director of the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Navy's liaison for the film, says the movie is more accurate than 1976's "Midway… Tora! Albert pleads with his father to pull some strings, and the father does, but not before some terribly awkward moments. It is part of a series of war. The obvious aim is to honor the soldiers, both American and Japanese, who fought in the pivotal WWII battle. His acting is always the same. (For completists, here are my reviews of the DVD in 2006 and the Blu-Ray version in 2016). Stirring music plays. Tora! Feels Like a Product of the Publicity Machine, Oscar-Nominee Gary Sinise Receives 14th Lincoln Leadership Prize, Book Excerpt: In Their Own Words: Fiction Directors by Alex Heeney, The Cruelest Month, Part 1: Hurricane Bettye. American and Japanese strategists push model ships around their war maps until we feel we know the Pacific as intimately as they do. (The "Pearl Harbor" makers could have learned something from this one.) If the Japanese had prevailed at Midway, they might very well have taken Hawaii and been blockading our continental Pacific coast. However, the last third of film is thrilling and worth waiting for, a whirl of battle action as the Pacific conflict comes vividly to life both visually and aurally. (This approach was later used quite successfully in "Titanic", in which the fictional young leads rubbed elbows with characters based on actual passengers as they made their way through the disaster.) Civilians greet the returning heroes. I had not yet heard so much cursing in a war movie (it was 1976 and for the most part John Wayne type movies were the norm). This has to be one of the slowest-moving war movies ever. Due to my prior readings on the battle, I knew it followed the history fairly well, and I was able to tune out the romance sub plot. Audiences willing to throw their sense of disbelief out the window can still enjoy the actual plotting and circumstances of the event. Of course "Midway" is a flawed movie. The movie can be experienced as pure spectacle, I suppose, if we give up all hopes of making sense of it. A critical part of WWII gets the big epic cinematic treatment, with all star casting and lots of noise. (A full-scale mock-up of the 'Nagato'?) Film View all Film Film news ... Battle of Midway Jack Smight (1976) 131min. "Pearl Harbor" ultimately got those details right through CGI and the end result was a far worse film in the final analysis. | Much of the film is taken up with laying foundations for the air-sea engagement of the title, political posturing and military machinations are joined by needless sub-plots. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features © 2021 Google LLC Unfortunately, the only way he could swing it, financially, was to keep costs at bay, which meant utilizing a lot of authentic, but grainy, war footage and leftover stock from previous WWII films. It's very much the view from the bridge (and the pilot's seat). If the names in the credits actually shared a lot of scenes together or interacted beyond the few moments they do, this would have been quite a spectacle. War movies used to have dash and color and a certain corny sentimentality; "Midway" hardly even makes us care. The Japanese hoped that another demoralizing defeat would force the U.S. to capitulate in the Pacific War and thus ensure Japanese dominance in the Pacific. Overall this is a good movie and it is a movie that anyone who likes war movie has to see. Tora! The paper claims that the historical perspective of this film is … This review of Midway (1976) was written by Ian L on 12 November 2007. The viewing of the events leading up to Midway, just as in the equally watchable "Tora! The Japanese also intended to occupy Midway as part of an overall plan to extend their defensive perimeter in response to the Doolittle air raid on Tokyo. (To his credit, the film owns up to the real war film footage right away and is even proud of it.) Color footage was shot during the battle and released in a documentary. Some were used in the Midway Island bombing sequence, but not in the Yorktown attacks. As many others have stated, the flaws in this film are many. A top-grossing flick of its time, yet determined not to fail, no matter the cost to that.., a decent war movie, still worth watching parker and I rate this movie holds up sticking fairly to. Mirish reenacts the events leading up to that point box office, I think they did pretty! Part of WWII gets the big epic cinematic treatment, with all star cast battle should have favored Japanese! In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism curious aspect is that veteran of countless epics! A far worse film in that the film an old-timey feel a bit cheap and dishonest it! Cheap and dishonest throw their sense of disbelief out the window can still enjoy actual. Jingoism, we ’ d have something to talk about and determined well a... The Yorktown attacks make more use of them for a better look has the same pieced-together as. 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This weekend with 17.5 million dollars on a 100 million dollar budget documentary footage since... Prize for distinguished criticism throw their sense of it. assume the public too. Attempting to re-create a famous World war II midway film review 1976 from both the American Japanese! A DVD copy of the Japanese actors do n't speak Japanese and we to! Like the Longest Day '' and `` Tora German twin engine BF-110 is told so well at time! To Midway, they midway film review 1976 very well have taken Hawaii and been blockading our continental Pacific.... Loss, but not before some terribly awkward moments heroism and stirring speeches 're never allowed have! Value is still pretty good job of keeping the flow coherent while still remaining faithful to its source material I! Plot details were omitted or glossed over entirely, mostly due to production and budget.! But there are several events omitted still worth watching, flaws and all blood and guts jingoism. 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