Rent Midway (2019)

Avoid - Midway review by JD

The worst kind of war film.

Terrible acting, graphics like  a video game ( you ride on the bombs as they are about to hit a battleship) ,  screenplay that is a joke [ “ before Pearl Harbour the WHOLE of Europe had been overrun by the Nazis ( never heard of the U.K. and its allies ? ) it was up to the USA to save the world grrrrrrr ]

It’s the sort of movie where all the young Americans are lippy , refuse to follow orders so they are “cool” ........

I love a good war film, but this one was awful.

Avoid. 

not impressed - Midway review by dave

I think this holds the record for cramming every cliche known to man into one film.

I managed to watch till the end but would never recommend to anyone.

Yahoo for the good old US of A

A surprisingly decent movie - Midway review by DP

I classify films I watch into either “movies”or “films” , movies are what you watch to be entertained, and as you might guess a film is something you watch that is memorable and that you use as a bench mark helping you judge other things. I wasn’t expecting this to be one of the latter but it nearly was. The background plot line was a bit thin, the acting was a bit wooden, but the cgi and action scenes moved it from lots of also ran movies to one that I recommend you watch. If you enjoy war genre then you should watch. Just sit back disengage you’re film critics brain and enjoy a film that you will probably want to watch again.

Rousing Pacific War Epic - Midway review by Alphaville

A solid modern take on the old-school war film that many people will unfairly dismiss as a politically incorrect boys’ gung-ho movie. This is so determinedly authentic even the corny scenes are true. What screenwriter in his right mind would make his hero a gum-chewing pilot called Dick Best? But he actually existed, as did all the main characters and all the plotlines. The moving finale shows you the real people that the film portrays.

Much of the Pacific War is now forgotten or unknown to a younger generation. It deserves to be better remembered… Pearl Harbour, the Coral Sea, the daring Doolittle Raid… This film shows what a fascinating and bloody battle arena it was. Shame on those who denigrate it for its depiction of heroism.

Hard to believe all the mayhem and destruction we see (on land, sea, air and undersea) was done on a sound stage and in post-production, but the end result has an epic quality. You’ll believe you’re in the midst of it. Director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day etc.) has long been adept at this kind of scale. The excellent DVD Xtras will make you realise what a labour of love this film was and make you want to watch it again with even greater appreciation.

Loud, Brash War Epic - Midway review by GI

Loud, long and action packed this is another of those history lesson war films that used to be very popular back in the 60s & 70s, e.g. Tora Tora Tora (1970), The Longest Day (1962) but with the benefit of modern digital CGI which renders the aerial combat sequences particularly impressive. It's all gung-ho back slapping heroics with the usual stereotypical characters many based on real persons and some are vaguely annoying not least Ed Skrein as cocky, ultra brave pilot Dick Best. Equally though there are some interesting aspects to be enjoyed in particular Patrick Wilson as the Intelligence expert Edwin Layton. Director Roland Emmerich , a past master at the big, effects laden epic, tones down the flag waving and does give almost equal balance to the Japanese side in this recreation of the huge 1942 naval battle for the island of Midway, a turning point in the pacific war. There's a prologue recounting the Pearl Harbour attack and the Doolittle raid which is an improvement on the dire Pearl Harbor (2001) and like all these films there's the token female character waiting at home looking anxious that could have been removed entirely. Support cast is ok including Woody Harrelson, Luke Evans, Dennis Quaid and Aaron Eckhart. Anyway, this is all a bit similar to other war films of this type, it lacks depth and meaning but it looks impressive and keeps you watching.

More action than strategy - Midway review by OL

Too much special effects also tried to cram in too much. Tried to include Pearl Harbour - Tora, Tora does it better, the Doolittle Raid is mentioned. Should of included more on on the planning like the 1976 Film. Too much action, not enough background info. Very realistic on details though.

Seems longer than the battle - Midway review by Pete W

Good points - pretty historically accurate, effective CGI. Bad points - script, usual US assumption that the whole war was won by one or two (admittedly brave) individuals, too long by at least half an hour, failure to acknowledge the element that luck played in the victory and how badly it could have gone wrong.