My brief review of the film

Rating: Null/10 (10 January 2006)

A film in which there is a lot that can be discussed, this is a good film overall, but definitely one with some flaws. The film is essentially about the varying possible effects that undergoing torture can have on different individuals. With the Vietnam War in the backdrop, it could be deduced that the film is also about the effects of war on the individual, but such little time is spent war scenes that it is hardly a war film, and war related themes are derived only from the symbolism that one might associate Russian roulette with. Anyway, that should be hardly taken a statement on the quality of the film. Cimino is able to set up some really intense scenes, the acting is generally fine, and the film does have some solid ideas, not only about the effects of torture, but also about strong friendships. The key element that limits the power of the film is a number of plot contrivances, that vary from being rather unlikely to next to impossible, and that is without including some of the factual wrongs with the film. The reoccurrence of Russian roulette could also be regarded as heavy-handed, depending on whether one regards it as a symbol of the futility or chances of war. Could something else not also be used to allude to this? It also is an overly long and drawn out film. The first hour is meant to give us a chance to know the characters a bit better, but even so, it goes on for too long, full of excesses of dance, humorous bits and abandoned subplots, all that inform us precious little of the characters. There is a subplot with two of the characters in the latter half of the film that is undernourished too. The music is not really any help either: it is too sickly sentimental to tie in very well. I found a few others things that I also did not like that I will not mention here for fear of ruining a fresh experience of the movie. It is a good film, even if a grueling watch, despite its drawbacks. As a film about the everlasting physical and mental effects of torture, it does a reasonable job, and as a film about the extreme lengths that one goes for a friend, it also stands up fairly well.