Intense war drama. Friends experience P.O.W. camp.

Rating: 7/10 (24 March 2001)

Most films about the Viet Nam War are loud action movies. This three hour plus project of Michael Cimino does not come right out for or against the conflict in Nam. What we have is the rituals of home in contrast to the rigors of war. The lives of three men are altered forever after surviving gut twisting games of Russian Roulette in a P.O.W. camp.
My only personal complaint is that the first hour depicting mostly a wedding party is way too long. Why not trim this portion down to maybe fifteen or twenty minutes? I suppose this was to set the mood contrasting home with war.
Robert De Niro plays Michael the hero. John Savage comes home crippled. And Christopher Walken remains in Nam leading a very strange existence. Of course, Mr. Walken's middle name is "Strange". De Niro and Walken were outstanding in this movie. Also in the cast are Meryl Streep and George Dzundza. John Cazale and Chuck Aspegren play characters that are irritating and obnoxious as Hell.
This movie was bestowed with much critical acclaim. Oscars went to Walken and Cimino. Also Oscars for best picture, editing and sound.