Unsung, disturbing bit of war hell, based on a true story.

Rating: Null/10 (20 June 2008)

In the wake of "Platoon" and "Full Metal Jacket" (and thanks to its release in the summer during amid less oppressive fare), this Vietnam era drama failed to make a big splash at the box office, but has earned a following over time. Fox plays an idealistic newbie, dropped into the hellhole of the conflict and assigned to a five-man team, which is sent to spot the enemy in advance of a major operation. The team is led by hard-edged, slightly off balance Penn, who is mourning the recent death of one of his pals. The remaining soldiers include violent blowhard Harvey, thickheaded Reilly and meek Leguizamo. Penn, in an unauthorized and startling move, decides to kidnap a young Vietnamese girl (Thu Le) and use her as a sex slave for the men during their trek. Some of the men revel in this plan, but Fox and Leguizamo balk at it. This sets up an enmity between Fox and Penn that affects both of their lives forever. Fox, whom many considered preposterous casting for a film this serious, does a terrific job for the most part. His tireless earnestness only becomes a bit much near the end and there are a few scenes that are perhaps deeper than he can go. However, he handles the bulk of the dramatic aspects well and fits his character nicely. Penn is an arresting presence and offers up a captivating portrayal, though he does go a bit over the top along the way. Similar to the way Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie did not communicate off the set in director DePalma's "Carrie", the two men didn't socialize behind the scenes on this film. Harvey is appropriately slimy and menacing. Reilly and Leguizamo, in very early roles for them, are quite good at what they are called upon to do. (A special nod must go to the casting director who not only gave these two their tremendous breaks, but also gave future award-winner Rhames a featured role as Penn's superior officer.) DePalma crony Gregg Henry appears unbilled in the court-martial scene of the extended cut. Thu Le, an unknown actress who seemingly never did another Hollywood or other major project, is extraordinarily affecting as the captive. Based on a true story (and followed more closely than is sometimes the case with these things), it's a gut-wrenching, even haunting, experience. The landscape is breathtaking, the cinematography is lush, the music is excellent and the acting is often very strong. Depalma places the viewer into the situation and forces him to experience the events through Fox's eyes (with the sexuality being downplayed somewhat, though never the violence, of course.) If there's a significant problem with the film, it is probably the dÃ©nouement, considering the most interesting events take place during the middle section and what follows is either silly (the events in the lavatory) or repetitive (the reporting and investigation scenes.) The ending is even more protracted in the extended cut of the movie. Also, thanks to the heavily dramatic, slow motion, moan-filled climax, edited for maximum impact instead of for stark bleakness, there is very nearly the presence of unintentional humor. These issues aren't fatal, but they do detract moderately from the film's overall success. Still, it's a skillfully produced, emotionally stirring, thought-provoking piece of cinema that deserves to be seen.