Last Friday night I went along to the screening of Midway - a film that I have been hearing about for months mostly due to the fact that my bedtime routine includes a quick (okay, quick-ish) scroll of Luke Evans's Instagram account every night. Can confirm it's the best way to end the day. Anyway, back to Midway...
The synopsis:
MIDWAY centers on the Battle of Midway, a clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy which marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater during WWII. The film, based on the real-life events of this heroic feat, tells the story of the leaders and sailors who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome the odds.
I've always been cautious around 'war movies' because I feel like sometimes it can be gratuitous but I approached Midway with curiousity, an open mind, and a thirst for Ed Skrein's chiselled features genuine interest in how they've approached the telling of this significant event in history. Personally when it comes to films with a heavy subject matter like this, I try and condition myself beforehand. Especially because as action-packed as war films usually are, the pacing can be a bit slow. You know how sometimes you're just not in the mood to see something intense and heavy? I was feeling a little bit like that. It was a Friday evening and it's been a massive week and I felt like maybe I couldn't handle it but I couldn't be more wrong. Midway is one of those films that keep you engrossed throughout its 2 hrs 18 min runtime.
Casting wise, it couldn't have been more random. I never thought I'd watch Darren Criss aka Blaine from Glee and Nick Jonas together in a war film but here we are. I also liked seeing Woody Harrelson in a more serious role and Patrick Wilson sans the glorious wig he donned for Aquaman.
Though the reviews I've read so far haven't been too favourable, I actually think Midway is one of the better war films released in ages because it gave us a glimpse into 'the enemy' too. It does a great job in showing the complexity of war and how difficult it is to categorise people as just 'good' and 'bad'. The most profound scene for me was the scene where this line was taken from. It reads poetically but it was one of the most gut wrenching scenes of the film that was reminiscent of Titanic. I also think a lot of the conflict and depiction of the Americans and the Japanese was done well. It's easy for a war film to go take the glorified hero and villain approach, but I feel Midway humanised them in a way where both sides of the story were shown with fairness.
More than that, Midway reminded me that when you think about it, there are no real winners in a war. Only lives lost, only families broken, only resources depleted, only grounds ruined. The effects of it felt for generations after. By the time the credits rolled around and that final, heart-wrenching quote popped up on screen, my heart felt so heavy I needed Luke Evans to hold me tight, stroke my hair, and tell me that everything is going to be alright.
Midway is in cinemas now. Watch the trailer here. Thank you Roadshow and Undertow media for having me along!
