Unsuccessfully dramatic (spoilers ahead)

Rating: Null/10 (21 February 2004)

This film was one boring experience. For the first hour or so, the film shows ordinary working class men and the nature of their friendships. They go deer hunting and drink at bars, playing pool. At this point, I'm already saying this movie quite boring, because I thought it will have connection to the second half of the movie, it is sure to have a great meaning and purpose. The film is brought abruptly to Vietnam, and moments into it, Deniro and company get captured, and are forced to play Russian roulette. For a movie that was superfluous, it takes a drastic turn to a "less is more" approach for the rest of the movie. We never get to see why Walken's character spirals into lala land, along with many other things. As far as the famous roulette scene goes, it does not even live remotely up to the hype. War is war; if the consequence of not "playing" meant a slow awful death, a revolver to the head really doesn't sound so bad.