Just as jarring as the book.

Rating: Null/10 (14 August 2004)

Should have been so much better than it is. The first half is magnificent. The second half has that plotted meandering feel that Kubrick fans know and love. Not as surreal as a lot of his films, and not quite as good either. The whole sequence of events along the second half seem to move like a parade. I think this is the most clichÃ©d movie Kubrick ever made. It's Stanley saying this is my version of the "Hollywood" Nam film. That's a shame. It is exciting though. Chasing down the sniper in Hue is the best sequence. I have a cousin who rarely comments on his 13 month tour in 1968-69 and even he says that sequence makes his skin crawl. He refers to it as "Been there-done that syndrome." A fairly good war movie for the war movie buffs, others might have a different opinion. The film's only about half the book. I found the book not to be all that satisfying either. Kubrick's best war film is still Paths of Glory. That's just this war movie buff's opinion.