Why did a relative unknown director get this size film?

Rating: 3/10 (20 January 1999)

It was hard to tell if this was a film about the desperate struggles of man in combat or flashbacks to "Altered States" dream scenes.
I am very surprised that this kind of budget was given to a director with no big film experience. The trauma and success of "Private Ryan" may have had something to do with it, but it was a bad call on the part of the money people.
Too long, too disoriented and too many token parts for crowd pleasing names like Travolta and Clooney.
I couldn't recommend it to a friend to see, I am sorry to say. Especially since I liked Nick Nolte's performance and good jobs by other main players. It's one I would have been disappointed in even if I had waited for video.