“Midway” is an intense movie that focuses on the men and their actions during the Battle of Midway in World War II. An amazing cast recreates the tension and the bravery of those involved in this historic event.

After Dec. 7, 1941, and the Japanese surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, American morale was low. The following months saw the Japanese dominating the Pacific. It looked grim for the Allies, however, there were men who used their intellect as well as their instincts – not to mention their ability to decode many of the Japanese messages – and against the odds set up a trap at Midway. The Japanese were not expecting the Americans to be located there and by the end of the battle the Americans took control of the Pacific. Many lives were lost on both sides and the filmmakers wanted to tell this story as accurately as possible.

Woody Harrelson is Chester Nimitz, Dennis Quaid is William Halsey, Aaron Eckhart is Jimmy Doolittle, Patrick Wilson is Edwin Layton, Luke Evans is Wade McClusky, Ed Skrein is Dick Best, Brennan Brown is Joseph Rochefort, and Mandy Moore is Ann Best. Also co-starring are Luke Kleintank, Keenan Johnson, and Nick Jonas among a large cast of actors on both sides of the war.

“Midway” was a feature film in 1976. The filmmakers and cast of this new version are proud of its accuracy in portraying the people that changed the tide of the war on one historic day in June 1942.

There are plenty of bonus features included in the home entertainment release. There is a “making of” featurette about the accuracy of the film and how the actors as well as the filmmakers wanted to portray both sides of the battle and honor those who took part in history.

An aircraft carrier deck and authentic planes were built on a giant soundstage for true authenticity, as the filmmakers were not able to film on an actual carrier. There is another featurette about how the battle was the turning point in the war in the Pacific. One featurette focuses on Rochefort, the man credited with breaking the Japanese code, which allowed the American forces to plan their trap at Midway. Two survivors of the battle discuss the event, and another featurette focuses on Director Roland Emmerich, who set out to make a movie honoring the bravery of those who fought at Midway.

Other additional features add more insight into the characters and the battle giving viewers a well-rounded look at the men and their actions in 1942.

While many viewers might not know much about the Battle of Midway or even heard of it, it was a pivotal point in the Pacific theater in World War II. The attack on Pearl Harbor is well-known, but the subsequent attacks – Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo and the Battle of Midway – are historic episodes that are highlighted in this film and are lessons about the past that serve to educate all viewers in a way that is powerful yet entertaining with this amazing cast.

“Midway” is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K.