Classic Anti-Vietnam Movie That Really Need Not Be Classic

Rating: 7/10 (30 October 2006)

The story of a man who wanted to be the best... who joined the Marines and lost his legs... only to eventually see that sometimes war is not all honor. Sometimes war is a mistake.
Oliver Stone has some obsession with Vietnam, with this movie, "Platoon" and "JFK" all focusing on it. This one is easily the weakest of the three. And I must say it sure is brave to make a film standing against the war, fifteen years after it's over. Way to go, Stone.
Tom Cruise was nominated for a boatload of awards... and yeah, he has no legs. But his acting was as poor as ever and whoever gave him the mustache did a really poor job making it look real. I was distracted by the mustache, and when I wasn't I still thought Cruise was being a little boy in a grown man's role.
The story itself was decent, as it traced a man's journey from being all-American and anti-Communist to a war protester, and was a true story. But it wasn't anything I hadn't heard before. The only new thing was the Mexican prostitutes, who seemed really out of place in this movie. But again, I guess it really happened.
I give the film a 7 for effort and spirit, but really I could have gone on with my life never having seen this emotionless crud.