Uncomfortably powerful

Rating: 9/10 (28 April 1999)

Another movie I saw years ago and just revisited. What a rich and powerful movie! The portions of the movie that dealt with life in a Pennsylvania steel town were rich in character interaction, as well as setting (I could feel the cold of the town). However, what really grabbed me the first time AND this time I saw it, was the depiction of the insanity that occurred in Vietnam. This was the first movie that I ever saw that began to open my eyes as to the true horror and insanity of war. I say the movie was uncomfortably powerful because I found myself to be very tense throughout the war scenes of the movie. Honestly, I wasn't able to imagine scenes as horrible until they were shown to me. Once again, it gave me a new respect for those that have fought and withstood the horrors of any war. The whole cast of the movie was excellent, with my own special kudos to DeNiro and Walken, who were incredible.