Joanne's comment

Rating: Null/10 (21 May 2007)

#2. Steve had a very naive type of personality, where his mother was still telling him what to do at his wedding. He always seemed to be good friend to the other guys, but wasn't s physically or emotionally strong. He always had someone watching out for him, until he got to Vietnam, where Nick and Mike watched over him, but they also had to concentrate on surviving themselves. When he was locked in the trap in the water while the other men played Russian Roulette, he was barely alive, but Mike saved him by getting him to the trail where there was medical help. Steve, however, didn't really merge back into reality when he returned, he hid away from his family and friends at the Veteran Hospital. Although he was ashamed of coming home, and of having no legs, he couldn't face his old friends and family alone, Mike had to come and pick him up to bring him. Without Mike, Steve never would have made it out of Vietnam. Mike's personality enabled him to survive and make it home from Vietnam twice, His attitude and perseverance allowed him to stay alive and outwit his opponents. Whenever anybody needed something, Mike was the person who helped them, the shoulder that they leaned on. For example, Steve: all throughout the war, and even when he came home, too. Nick's girlfriend: when Nick didn't come home too, she received support from Mike, who never asked for anything in return. Mike was bold, brave and able to adapt to everything that life brought, which is why he wasn't physically or mentally disabled at the end of the movie. Nick always seemed to be the gambler, he always wanted to take bets and chances, even if it meant with his life. He stayed in Vietnam because he couldn't go back to regular life, so he took chances until the end. Even after Mike pleaded with him, even though he didn't recognize him, which showed how mentally unstable and shook up he always was. Furthermore, he went AWOL and just took off from the army to blend with the Vietnamese gambling tournaments of Russian Roulette. Nick had to take chances to keep his mind off of his reality. The movie could of have been different but the character's personalities and decisions prevented any changes in the plot. Of course it is easy to say that they could have made better decisions, but it's hard to speculate, especially when we have no idea of how to react in such a situation. I think that the characters reacted the only way that they knew how, and it's hard to say what could have been different.