Gripping and Gut wrenching

Rating: 9/10 (20 March 2002)

We were soldiers has got to be one of the best war films, I have ever seen. Though it is extremely full of cliche's it still gets a powerful lesson in history across. The Ia Drang valley battle was one of the worst that the US has ever been involved. I'm very surprised that anyone survived it, even with an outstanding officer like Hal Moore (gibson). The film also portrayed the Viet Namese in a better light than in most other films about that war.
Like I said the only problem I could find with this film is the many cliche's that appeared in it. The one that showed up in the film and has been absolutely done to death is the dying soldier lying on the field saying in a raspy voice: "Tell my wife, I love her" Actually the most common thing a dying soldier says is "Tell my mother I love her". Anyway as many cliche's as there are in the film, they don't even come close to taking away the power that this film had on many others in the audiences.
I've seen some great films on Viet Nam but this one has ranks right under Platoon. Platoon shows the sphycological hell that American soldiers in Viet Nam went through in that time period and We Were Soldiers shows the courage that fighting men showed throughout the war.
There is one thing that about We Were Soldiers that for me sets it apart from other films about Viet Nam. We Were Soldiers shows that soldiers returning from Viet Nam were given no parade or friendly welcome of any kind like the ones who returned from World Wars I and II. Infact, people who passed them in the streets ignored them entirely most of the time.
Now we get to the performances. I personally was impressed by all who acted in this film. Mel Gibson, Sam Elliot, and Greg Kinnear all gave memorable performances. However, one actor who really outdid himself was Chris Klein. I've never much liked Chris Klein because I've always felt that he is just a 23 year old playing a teenager. This film he has really shown himself as a serious actor.
Anyway great movie,