Roland Emmerich’s ‘Midway’ Teaser Trailer

By Reggie's Take on June 27, 2019

“Independence Day” director Roland Emmerich and Lionsgate have released the first teaser trailer for the World War II movie “Midway”.

“Midway” focuses on the 1942 Battle of Midway and the six months that led to the battle following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. If you’re not familiar with your World War II history, Midway helped turn the tide for America in the Pacific Theater.

If you’ve watched the trailer you noticed that part of this movie revisits the attack on Pearl Harbor. Emmerich went and filmed at Pearl Harbor and on Ford Island for the funeral sequences. The movie also looks to have a fantastic cast with Woody Harrelson and Dennis Quaid as Navy admirals Chester Nimitz and William “Bull” Halsey, with a nice bevy of younger actors as sailors and aviators.

Charlton Heston starred in a 1976 version of “Midway” and Emmerich who has wanted to do his own version for years is centering his Midway movie on dive-bomber Dick Best played by Ed Skrein. Best and his fellow Naval pilots would fly at a 90-degree angle from 14,000 feet in the air at Japanese aircraft carriers, all while being shot at.

Reggie’s Take:
First and for most I’ve always been a sucker for a good World War II movie, something we don’t see to many of these days. On initial viewing of the Midway trailer I’m all in, for now.

The cast and visuals for Midway look awesome and stunning, but I also have reservations. For me personally Roland Emmerich can be a very miss or hit director when it comes to his movies. The action looks amazing, but for all I know there’s no substance to the story Emmerich wants to tell and the acting is sub-par.

I’m hoping when we get the first full-length trailer we get more of the story, fewer explosions and one-liners like “Washington is wrong,” and, “Today we prove the American Navy isn’t a joke.”

Midway, reports to theaters on November 8, 2019

Cast: Nick Jonas, Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Aaron Eckhart, Etsushi Toyokawa, Tadanobu Asano, Luke Kleintank, Jun Kunimura, Darren Criss, Keean Johnson, Alexander Ludwig, with Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson.

Official 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 soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome the odds.