Windtalkers

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Windtalkers Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 16+

War film relies too much on relentless violence.

R 2002 134 minutes
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Parents say

age 15+

Based on 4 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 15 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie has a great deal of graphic battle violence and very strong language, including racial epithets. The Navajo characters are portrayed as patriotic, brave, and dedicated.

Community Reviews

doctora
doctora Adult
September 22, 2022
age 16+

Overwrought and underdone

What a shame...this film is unfortunate in who it centers and how it tells a story that could have gone so many different directions instead of this overdetermined war saga pseudo epic that feels overwrought and still underdone. The code talkers should be the center of this film and that they are not is shameful. The film undercuts its own purpose for existence. The only reason I gave it two stars is because it is a breath of fresh air to hear Navajo spoken and shared on the big screen, but ufff. Did they really de-center these heroes from the beginning. Would love to see someone get another crack at this with a different script and different intention.
Sam M.
Sam M. Adult
November 14, 2017
age 13+

a very silly movie

Story is well intentioned with themes of prejudice, acceptance and breaking cultural boundaries. Altho its really basic in its construction. Basic in character archetypes narrative beats, and the whole frame of code talkers is little more than a divice to move between over the top action scenes. The type of action scenes where hand grenades erupt into fireworks and Nic Cage makes Cagey faces while running in the open alone and nailing every enemy in sight with deadeye accuracy without aiming while using a tommy gun. Its really entertaining tho. But far from John Woos most powerful dramatic uses of action. Hige body count but not too graphic, minor squibs, and spurts of blood shown on stains on bodies/ clothes in aftermaths. Not much gore. Language expected in war.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

WINDTALKERS begins as Sgt. Enders (Nicolas Cage) is caught in the midst of battle. He is injured and witnessing the deaths of his friends is slowly driving him mad. His hearing loss could get him sent home, but he stays to keep fighting. He and Sgt. "Ox" Henderson (Christian Slater) are assigned to protect newly enlisted Navajo fighters Pvt. Ben Yahzee and Pvt. Charlie Whitehorse, (played superbly by Adam Beach and Roger Willie, respectively) whose abilities with the Navajo code are essential in the war. Enders is noticeably disgruntled at his new duties, but through a series of events he gains a mutual respect for the men he must protect. And a tough, bigoted soldier (Noah Emmerich) learns that the Navajos are actually good people when one of them saves his life.

Is It Any Good?

Unfortunately, John Woo's film focuses too much on the complicated, half-crazed Sergeant Enders rather than the Navajos recruited as Marines to use their language as military code. The movie does a disservice to the men it is intended to honor by perpetuating their marginalization and making the much less interesting Nicolas Cage character the main focus of the story. The events are often predictable, and the dialogue is not very memorable with lines from the Navajos like "I've never seen so many white men!"

Windtalkers follows suit of most post-Saving Private Ryan war films and tries to make its point by dousing us with relentless violence. On the plus side, Cage, Slater, and a solid supporting cast of character actors are all dependably good, and it's interesting to see John Woo's distinctive action style put into a war film. The culture clashes are never boring, and scenes where a peace pipe ritual is carried out on a cigarette and Henderson duets on a harmonica with Whitehorse's wooden flute are handled with sensitivity.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way that Enders and Yahzee change during the course of the movie. They might also talk why the movie makers chose to focus on the Nicholas Cage character, rather than the Navajos in the title.

Movie Details

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