‘Midway’ is Like a World War II Chess Match

Midway‘ is a historically accurate retelling of the events that culminate in the Battle of Midway. However the film is not a simple retelling of events. It adds a lot of background flavor to the protagonists that take part in the story. It is this delving into these characters’ lives that provide the appropriate emotional hook to the film, elevating it from a mere historical account of the Battle of Midway.

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The story of ‘Midway’ focuses on the United States’ reaction to the bombing of Pearl Harbor during Word War II, which unexpectedly draws the Americans into the war. Known to a lot as one of the greatest blunders in American intelligence history, ‘Midway’ shows the steps taken by the United States to correct the destruction of its greatest naval base in the Pacific.

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The film highlights the intelligence chess match between the Japanese and American forces. At this point in the war, the Americans are at a disadvantage in technology and in the number of forces at its disposal. Outgunned and outmanned, the Americans have to work with what meager support they have after the destruction of Pearl Harbor. ‘Midway’ points to the importance of one very important asset in the Pacific arena during World War II: aircraft carriers.

Unlike the war in Europe, the war in the Pacific was mostly dictated by the party who owns the seas. In this case, the Japanese had the advantage, and this is shown in great length in the film. The American forces in the Pacific had a tactical disadvantage and had to rely on a lot of grit and grime to even go toe-to-toe with the Japanese naval forces.

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In spite of Japanese superiority, the Americans were able to pull off one of the greatest upsets in warfare. ‘Midway’ shows us how this was attained, and who the key players were in the victory. With their success at Midway, the Americans effectively turned the tide of battle in their favor. This would eventually lead to more successes that would end World War II in the Pacific.

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Of course, the film would not thrive without its share of human drama. The focus is more on the personalities on the American side, but there is also a glimpse of the Japanese side. From there, we can see the differences and similarities in thinking when it comes to handling the war in the Pacific. The character profiles also provide the right amount of depth that allows the appropriate emotional connection for the audience to the film. Everybody can relate to the loss of a loved one or a dear friend. There are a lot of deaths to go around in the film that affect a great number of people.

In the end, ‘Midway’ is a story of triumph in spite of overwhelming odds. The movie inspires one to persevere even if the task seems impossible. With the right mindset, that glimmer of hope can guide you to accomplish great things that could change the course of human history.

‘Midway’ is now showing in cinemas.

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