Brilliant, scathing humor underscores the futility of war.

Rating: 8/10 (29 July 2002)

After reading some of the other user comments on M*A*S*H, it appears that there are two distinct camps--those who love the movie and hate the TV show, and those who loved the TV show and hate the movie. I admit to being in the first group--I saw the movie when it was first released, and the TV M*A*S*H was a big disappointment. The film version had more "bite" to it...the humor was darker, the satire sharper, the characters more real and less "cartoonish" than in the TV series. The movie M*A*S*H got its point across without sloppy sentimentality or becoming "preachy" the way the TV series sometimes did. Everything about this movie was cutting edge, and that is why it still seems fresh 30 years after it was made. If you haven't seen the film version, I highly recommend it. I rate this right up there with "Dr. Strangelove" as being one of the best anti-war films ever made.