Good, but an artifact of its time

Rating: 7/10 (19 December 2002)

This is definitely a film with a heavily divided opinion. Some chide it for being long or boring, others over-praise it as powerful and emotional. Myself I respect it as a rather good film, but cannot see it as a great film.
Having been born in '81 it's a product of another generation and something that try as I may I can't fully relate to. To the generation that produced it and lived through the Vietnam war I can certainly understand how it would have much greater relevance and impact. This is not only one of the earlier films to deal with issues raised by a highly controversial war, but also one to be done in a humanistic manner focusing on the lives of the people effected by it.
Reasonably they are the ideal audience for the film. To those of us following this generation we do not have the same experiences and I feel the film is less prepared to speak to us about more universal experiences as it is rooted in its own time. Not that this is a bad thing, but it will definitely detract from the film's appreciation by a modern audience.
Overall I would give this film a 6 or 7 out of 10. It is above-average, but not great. If you were around during the war and aren't looking for a more action-oriented film add a point or two, it's your film, not mine.