I keep jumping between a 7 and an 8

Rating: 8/10 (10 May 2020)

By no means a bad film. But I'm not going to lie, I wasn't blown away the same way most people seemed to be after my first watch. However, slowly, the more I think about it the less cynical I become. You can't fault the first Russian roulette scene - just a great summary of what war probably feels like, making it hit closer to home and feel more real than any battle scene ever could. I suppose the film nicely demonstrates the way the Vietnam War caused irreversible damage to communities and friend groups. It's a pretty unique perspective of the war compared to that of other films like FMJ, Platoon, or AN.
That said though, I wasn't particularly hooked throughout most of my viewing, and I didn't think I felt as connected to the characters as the film wanted me to be. That half-hour long wedding scene ate up too much of the runtime, and although necessary, it didn't do a good job of investing me in the rest of the story. Just cause a movie's a slow-burn classic doesn't mean I'll absolutely love it by default.
Looks like another film that made me feel inadequate in the sense that I finish it, mentally note a 7.5/10, and then see all my mutuals unanimously rate it a 10. However, the more I add to this review the more I realise it's made me think, which is a good sign that it'll age well for me with re-watches.