Movie review
November 6, 2019 · 138 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Midway.
Woke representation / casting
Casting matches the historical reality of a segregated WWII U.S. Navy with mostly white male leads and appropriate Japanese actors; no audience-visible diversity quotas or signaling.
Woke political dialogue
All conversations revolve around battle plans, code-breaking successes, pilot bravery, and command decisions with no activist, identity, or modern political content.
Identity-driven story themes
Plotlines follow military objectives, revenge for Pearl Harbor, and heroic sacrifice in a conventional war setting; zero focus on race, gender, sexuality, or social justice.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The movie celebrates American military leadership, resolve, and traditional values as key to victory against aggression; no portrayals of toxic masculinity, patriarchy, or institutional flaws in a contemporary activist style.
Review
Midway (2019) is a historical war film that covers the first six months of the Pacific Theater in World War II, from the Pearl Harbor attack to the decisive Battle of Midway. It follows American naval pilots, intelligence officers, and admirals who rely on skill, courage, and quick thinking to overcome Japanese forces. The story centers on traditional military themes of duty, sacrifice, and national defense with no visible modern identity or social-justice elements. Casting and character focus stay consistent with the real demographics and events of 1940s naval warfare.
Woke character or canon changes
Some characters receive slight dramatic enhancements for tension and pacing, but events and figures stay rooted in history without ideological reframing or swaps.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Almost no evidence of viewers or media accusing the film of woke messaging, DEI, or identity politics; isolated mild pushback on the even-handed dedication does not rise to meaningful complaints.
Creator track record context
Roland Emmerich’s earlier projects include explicit social themes, which slightly elevates the baseline, while the writer and other key crew maintain neutral, non-activist public records.
Production
