OK I'm still going to give Wake Island a 7 of 10 which is it's average here on IMDb, but.... I just read what actually happened after the Marine garrison surrendered. Jay Hawk's review seems to have been as jaded as I am now watching this great propaganda war movie, reading about the 98 that were executed is a real downer. I also saw in the midst of the air battle scenes out of nowhere there are at least two clips of a 20's era biplane trailing smoke. What was up with that? Maybe a seaplane? but its got wheels so that won't fly. For a movie that looks like its trying to be somewhat realistic they sure did goof on that (but that may have been a Paramount thing like they always did in 3 stooges flicks, just throw together any stock airplane footage even if it's different planes!). Dunlevy I think is great, but he is pretty wooden I guess looking back on it as I've read about him in reviews of a lot of other movies. Also, these guys are just way too happy to be getting shelled, and pretty much surrounded right after Pearl Harbor and invasion of the Phillipnes, basically you are totally screwed and these guys aren't showing it. I guess thats why "Bataan" even though purely fiction is a superior film because they show a lot of stress under combat were as here we have Bendix and Preston smiling to their deaths. OK I'm changing my rating to a 5 because this is an entertaining flick the first 3 times I've seen it, it's just too happy for my tastes and Dunlevy is a stick (and I thought I liked that dude, lol). One things for sure, in real life, the defenders got screwed. They should have been evacuated by subs. Their tale in captivity is as sad as those that were captured on the Doolittle Raid, go look those brave guys tales up, I dare you.
Review of Wake Island
