Fleet Adm. William F. Halsey Jr. (James Cagney) takes over as Guadalcanal heats up. He faces the Japanese forces at the height of their power under the command of Yamamoto.
The intriguing aspect of this war movie is the lack of action scenes. This is unique among big American war movies. There is plenty of military hardware but the whiz bang has been left off-screen. The Japanese characters speak without subtitles. There is a constant narration throughout the movie. The overall effect is an air of authenticity. There are some lighter moments which may be ill-advised. This movie does better concentrating on the details of the events and planning but it needs a consistent map showing the units involved. I like the general idea if not always the result.
The intriguing aspect of this war movie is the lack of action scenes. This is unique among big American war movies. There is plenty of military hardware but the whiz bang has been left off-screen. The Japanese characters speak without subtitles. There is a constant narration throughout the movie. The overall effect is an air of authenticity. There are some lighter moments which may be ill-advised. This movie does better concentrating on the details of the events and planning but it needs a consistent map showing the units involved. I like the general idea if not always the result.