Sellout for all those who opposed the war and got it stopped

Rating: Null/10 (5 June 2003)

while Stone made a fairly accurate film concerning Kovic's life he left out alot of crucial information that severely changed the story. Kovic's rise to star-activist was portrayed, as most things in Hollywood, as split second activity that jumps from a heart wrenching scene between Kovic and the family of the soldier he accidentally shot (a scene that never really took place)to a Oscar award speech made on the floor of the 1972 Republican National Convention. Activists aren't made like this, successful Activism is the product of years and years of backbreaking work and emotional setbacks. Not that I expect Stone to make a four hour film showing the actual creation of Kovic's life change, but it is important to realize what this says to young people who wish to dedicate their lives to creating social change. One may get to easily discouraged when they don't get national television coverage at their first protest. READ THE BOOK - it has a much better depiction, unbutchered by Stone, of the feeling of community opposition towards the war in Vietnam. When compared to the book, Stone's film, while being very entertaining in itself, sells the activists that stopped the war down the river