Troubled, fascinating film!

Rating: 10/10 (13 August 2011)

I love this film because it took me a lot of emotion to be able to watch it to the end. The first scene of Russian Roulette (RR) in the jungle really made me tremble and shiver. I guess I love films that trouble me.
It tells the story about friendship in a small Russian community in the US (Isn't a coincident: Russian community, Russian roulette?). The people are very much connected with each other. The three friends: Mike, Steve, and Nike were just about to go to Vietnam. But there were still wedding party and deer hunting to be done. This first part introduces the characters and their carefree life before going to the war.
The film brings you abrupt to the second part: the hell. The three men were in captivity and were forced to play Russian roulette, for the sake of entertaining the Viet Cong. They luckily (?) survive this and made a run. Along the way they were separated.
The final part shows that even though all three survive the enemy captivity, there were parts of them that are dead. Steven became paralyzed and could not face the family at home and prefer to stay in the institution because it feels like vacation there with its Bingo and basketball playing. Nick survived the war but mentally he is a dead man. Mike's attempt to rescue him seems to be doomed because Nick was already dead in a way. Mike went home and found consolation in the girl he loved, Linda, Nick's girlriend. Linda, who also desperately lonely found also comfort in Mike but still feels sad about Nick who did not come back. This is one of the reason, I think, that Mike went back to Vietnam searching for Nick. It was an attempt trying in vain to put all the things right there just like the old times. But sadly the damage has already taken place and even Mike could not turn the hands of time.
Like many all said, RR is a perfect symbol of going to war. Th dispute whether it really happen in Vietnam is for me not important. It's about the story, and for me the story is credible and heart breaking. The first part of the movie contains funny scenes, though, and shows beauty and innocence that are soon destroyed.
The singing "God bless America" at the end seems to present the irony of the war. Patriotism is often a label used to cover the absurdity of war.
The deer symbolizes the innocence and beauty that Mike came to realize at the end. The activity of deer hunting itself shows the joy of men bonding together in a small traditional community. Mike can not enjoy this activity any more after the war.
The story begins with wedding and ends with death ceremony, which represents the dark nature of the story. It is NOT a feel good movie, but one that definitively fascinates me.