"You survive the Nam, you get to live forever."

Rating: 8/10 (7 June 2019)

So as not to overlook the significance of the movie's title, the statement being made here is that often times, the true casualties of war are not the soldiers killed on the battlefield, but the survivors who carry the memory of their actions in the arena. That's not meant to disparage the sacrifices of the deceased and wounded, but for them, the ordeal is over. For those like private Eriksson (Michael J. Fox), the horror and dread of his war time experience will remain forever etched into memory from which there is no escape. Similarly, the fates of his superior officers and fellow soldiers will have to live with the burden of their inhuman behavior for the rest of their lives, well beyond the span of time deemed by military justice to have served as their penalty. Of the many fine films made of the Viet Nam War ("Platoon", "The Deer Hunter", "Apocalypse Now"), this is one that may well affect the viewer most on an emotional level, as you place yourself in the position of Private Eriksson and try to imagine how you would react in the same situation. As much as one would believe they'd hold firm to his principles, it's not impossible to understand how someone in similar circumstances would fold under the pressure of fellow team members the way Diaz (John Leguizamo) did. Cast in a sobering role, Michael J. Fox portrays his conflicted character well, determining that the truth will eventually out. However the most excruciating performance is turned in by Thuy Thu Le, the Vietnamese girl kidnapped and raped by Sgt. Meserve's (Sean Penn) willful subordinates. No matter how noble their military service might have been up to that point, their obvious willingness to cast aside all human decency while on patrol would remain a black and bloody stain on their conscience forever.