So bad it hurts too watch it.

Rating: 4/10 (21 October 2007)

This is not the most realistic film about Vietnam ever, in fact, it is so completely unrealistic that I couldn't help but become agitated at nearly every turn.
First, the opening of this film drags on for way too long and the style of the wedding sequence is a total rip off of Godfather and any John Cassavetes film. Every point it gets across could have been established much more effectively in a shorter period of time.
With that said, all of the Vietnam sequences are completely contrived. I noticed that a few others have pointed out the same mistakes that I saw, like, there is no way in hell that all three of those guys would wind up in the same village at the same time during a one year tour! Robert Deniro was Special Forces and the other two were regular army. If you don't know what I mean by that statement, then do some research people! Robert Deniro with a full grown beard in uniform? Yeah right! The Russian Roulette sequence? Yeah, country villagers turned Vietcong would know what Russian Roulette is. Sure! And they would bet on it too! How very western an idea! And that ending... By the way, where did Deniro get all of that money? He certainly didn't get it from the sock drawer!
I could go on a lot more pointing out all of the ridiculous things about the film that ultimately make it unworthy of even watching. There are a few smatterings of realism spread throughout, but they're overshadowed by contrivances. One of those smatterings is John Savage's wife's reaction to the loss of his legs. Too bad it wasn't a large enough a redemption to save the film.
Michael Cimino never made a good film in his life and this is certainly no exception.