Hard to review

Rating: 7/10 (18 June 2019)

It's been nearly a week since I watched this and I'm still truly undecided on how I feel about the film. The stance on Vietnam is not really clear or as defined as say 'Apocalypse Now' and such has an impact on the film. At times there's almost documentary-esque footage of massacres and in fighting between characters which are juxtaposed in ridiculous and jarring fashion with ridiculous side plots such as the Elias death fake out and then the iconic killing scene of Dafoe's character which seemed to be there for a spectacle manner. Again in fashion that's worlds apart from similar films it adopts a smaller scale approach to all forms of conflict and character which in fairness does give the idea that people are stepping on each other's toes and such there's believable rivalry/conflict which sadly occurs few and far between. Character wise Dafoe somehow shines and steals the show as Sheen doesn't offer as much charisma as his father did in Apocalypse Now and the 'quasi-villains' in Barnes and his supporters are frail. Ultimately there's not a real threat, the characters aren't gauged particularly well over the arc of the film but there's the odd redeeming quality, it for one feels alive and suits the journal re-telling style of which it adopts and visually at times is quite stunning and iconic with the aforementioned Elias death becoming a sliver of cinematic history. For as much there is negative it has a balance of positive aspects too and such is hard to draw conclusions about