An underrated film

Rating: 7/10 (23 November 2005)

Someone once posted:
"To view this movie is an exercise of visual torture coupled with the bleed through view points of O. Stone. Some movies shouldn't be made but since this piece of garbage was, then it shouldn't be viewed. Naturally this is just my opinion and generally I am not a flamer but I see no redeemable value in this film whatsoever."
My take on Born on the Fourth of July:
As a moviegoer, I wouldn't criticize this film as simply a "piece of garbage", but yes, what the above poster had mentioned, Born on the Fourth of July is rather an "exercise of visual torture". The movie's slow, there are grotesque scenes, violence, profanities, etc.
This film tells the true story of Ron Kovic, a Vietnam-war veteran's tortuous life after the war, and what we see here is basically the aftermath of how the Vietnam War has transformed him(mentally, physically, emotionally), shaped his attitudes of war, affected his self-esteem, and so on.
However, in my opinion, for the above poster to "see no redeemable value in this film whatsoever", is a pitiful remark of one's unfamiliarity with facts and unawareness about history.
Prior to Platoon, Oliver Stone may not have done a great job directing this movie. But Born on the Fourth of July is THE kind of film that had to be made for the story had to be told - what the Vietnam War did to people, in this case the main protagonist, Ron Kovic, was devastating. The wounded or suffered were innumerable. Thousands and thousands of Vietnam-war veterans were permanently scarred, physically and psychologically, and they found it difficult to return to civilian society, while Ron Kovic was just one of many who were guilt-ridden about their role in the war, paralyzed, and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.
In all, contrary to what the above "someone" mentioned, this film DOES have a redeemable value, for it tells an American tragedy through the perspective of Ron Kovic.