Good but not great

Rating: 5/10 (26 January 2007)

I don't think it was the definitive Vietnam war movie. Indeed, that movie probably hasn't been made. The real issue that Stone didn't get to is the one the generation that fought WWII recognized which is the futility of war only lies with the foot soldier not with the higher echelons in the chain of command. War is an ends to a political means no matter whether it is a "righteous war" or not. This will always be true and is the reason even radical Islamics are waging the war they are waging against the rest of the world to achieve their goal of Islamic domination. Same old story, new era. The issue was that the character of Chris and the others in his platoon held out hope of living when a soldier like Barnes has already recognized he is dead which allows him to function as a soldier needs to in war. That is the essence of Barnes' statement when he asks the men after pulling the knife on Chris "killin', what do you know about killin'?" I thought some of the drama was very predictable and contrived as well. The idea to put the American soldier in a bad light in many instances. I mean, how can you point up some atrocities committed by Americans if you aren't going to show the atrocities they endured? No