Midway

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Midway

PG

Released Jun 18, 1976

2h 12m

War

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Popcornmeter

41%

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17 Reviews

71%

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5,000+ Ratings

In this dramatization of the Battle of Midway during World War II, U.S. Navy Adm. Chester Nimitz (Henry Fonda) leads an outnumbered unit in the Pacific to break Japanese encryption codes. They soon discover that Adm. Yamamoto (Toshirô Mifune) plans an ambush of the U.S. base on the island of Midway. Capt. Matt Garth (Charlton Heston) helps devise the Navy's strategy, while his pilot son, Tom (Edward Albert), falls in love with a Japanese-American woman who is headed for an internment camp.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

War movies used to have dash and color and a certain corny sentimentality; Midway hardly even makes us care.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

A project in which it's planning is excellent, but in the big screen doesn't work. [Full review in Spanish]

Aug 11, 2023

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Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

It's typical screenwriting-by-computer stuff.

May 6, 2023

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Doug Molitor

Los Angeles Free Press

[Midway] builds up a lot of tension about that battle, but delivers nothing new.

Oct 31, 2019

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Antonio Lara

El Pais (Spain)

The script is confusing and messy, with attention exclusively paid to the strategic problems of both sides, and its development is crude, dry, and boring. [Full Review in Spanish]

Jul 18, 2019

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Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

There are few surprises here, yet the feature remains dependably engaging and charmingly acted, helping the production hurdle a few questionable artistic choices as it attempts to resurrect history over 30 years after the fact.

Rated: B-

Jun 29, 2013

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Bruce S

The Greatest Naval Battle ever.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/26/25

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thomas m

It just lacks any real passion but a few good explosions ,the lead (ed skrein) or whatever doesn't have the star quality to carry it ..a cheapo version of cillian murphy or Ben afleck etc

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

10/26/24

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grey g

appalling hokum. Following Tora, Tora, Tora, this film should have been as good, showing both the extraordinary bravery of the pilots, skill of the code breakers and leadership of the admirals. Instead it serves up a plate of stale cliches, incomprehensible action using actual footage of other battles or static green screen scenes, a gluttony of 70s stars that has no purpose, and soap opera about a fictional father and son dealing with love and death. The overdubbing of Japanese actors to clear up their pronunciation is distracting. The outcome is a bloated movie that occurs mostly indoors with actors spouting silly dialogue without any military efficiency. The 2019 is far better (except for the ridiculous dedication at the end).

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

10/11/24

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Audience Member

World War II was won at this battle.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/30/24

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James W

What's not to love about aircraft carrier battles? Plus, Charlton Heston!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/10/23

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kevin o

...if you like war films you ll love this one. Forget the critics, this works from start to finish as you follow the real life ww2 battle that turned the tide against the Japanese.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

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Jack Smight

Director

Charlton Heston

Captain Matt Garth

Henry Fonda

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

James Coburn

Captain Vinton Maddox

Glenn Ford

Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance

Hal Holbrook

Commander Joseph Rochefort

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Synopsis

In this dramatization of the Battle of Midway during World War II, U.S. Navy Adm. Chester Nimitz (Henry Fonda) leads an outnumbered unit in the Pacific to break Japanese encryption codes. They soon discover that Adm. Yamamoto (Toshirô Mifune) plans an ambush of the U.S. base on the island of Midway. Capt. Matt Garth (Charlton Heston) helps devise the Navy's strategy, while his pilot son, Tom (Edward Albert), falls in love with a Japanese-American woman who is headed for an internment camp.

Director: Jack Smight
Producer: Walter Mirisch
Screenwriter: Donald S. Sanford
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures, The Mirisch Corporation [us]
Rating: PG
Genre: War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 1976, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Runtime: 2h 12m

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