#2

Rating: Null/10 (20 December 2007)

#2. The different personalities of the three men (Steve, Mike and Nick) before they go to Vietnam and how it serves them as soldiers. Did their different approaches towards life serve as an accurate prelude to what was to happen? Could it have happened differently?
Steve, Mike and Nick all had very different personalities. Steve was kinda whiny and didn't seem like he was as strong emotionally as Mike or Nick. An example was when they were going hunting and Steve never is prepared and always has to borrow boots or other things. In Vietnam he ended up as being one of the weaker soldiers, because when they were waiting to play Russian Rulete, he was crying a lot and didn't keep his composure as all. While he was crying all of the other men seemed to be calm and were not freaking out. Mike on the other hand seemed to be a leader. Mike seemed to be the one who would keep everyone under control. When they were in Vietnam and they were being rescued and Steve falls off the helicopter, he jumps in after him and ends up saving his life. Nick, also is more strong than Steve was. Mike and Nick seem to be the ones who in a way take care of Steve both when they were home and in Vietnam. Nick ends up staying in Vietnam and playing Russian Rulete. When Mike comes to bring him home he doesn't want to go and doesn't recognize who Mike even is. They end up playing Russian Rulete against each other and Nick ends up shooting himself and dying.
I think that their attitudes towards life did serve as an accurate prelude to what was to happen, because they Steve came off as being the weakest and without the help of Mike and Nick he more than likely would've died. Mike, was the leader and he ends up coming home and then returning back to Vietnam to save Nick and he also saved Steve's life. Nick, was independent, and was able to survive in Vietnam, but in the end ends up shooting himself.
I don't think that it would've made as most sense if it was any different, because i felt that how Steve, Mike and Nick ended up, was accurate and made sense based on their personalities. If Mike was the one who ended up losing his legs and not being the "hero" than it wouldn't have made as much sense seeing as how he is depicted as being the strong leader throughout the movie.