The end of the age of innocense.

Rating: 10/10 (29 July 2001)

Of all the movies I've seen, including "Platoon," this movie is about the Vietnam War, the end of the age of innocence, the growing up of America. Ironically, the Vietnam battle scenes, capture, and escape only take up a few of the 184 minutes of running time of the entire movie. But more than any other movie, it reflects the end of the glorification of war for our country. Wars sometimes have to be fought, but this piece of art work ended the myth that war is noble and about glory. Having been there at the end, I am grateful for this work as it finally says all that needs to be said about our involvement in Vietnam and any other war in which we are asked to fight. In a recent very popular TV show, one character comments to another about the reasons for our ever extending exploration of space and the universe. (Paraphrased) "We came out of the woods, crossed the hills, saw the mountains and crossed them to go on and jump to the moon and planets, and eventually to the stars." It's a noble sentiment, our becoming more and more civilized and our thirst for exploration, etc., but this movie reminds me that maybe we haven't really come out of the woods yet. -The pentimento of man.