Patriotic nonsense

Rating: 1/10 (3 June 2003)

I wouldn't normally comment on a film I hated, but this film really offended me. I Honestly believe it was only made for "gun-nuts" and young teenagers with an unhealthy obsession for explosions and military activity. There is pretty much no plot, except for Mel gloriously defeating "the enemy" in slow motion. There is no attempt to deal with the politics of War let alone the Vietnam situation, just simple US soldiers = good guys, everyone else = bad guys. Honestly I think this film was made as a military advert to aid recruitment. The characters are hardly even introduced before we are expected to be caring about their battles.
Mel has made some great films in Signs and Braveheart so why did he touch this script. It must have been some guilt trip or favor. Compared to Platoon , Thin Red Line, Paths to Glory or Full Metal Jacket this film looks like empty hollow trash.
Once again The Vietnam War is being portrayed as an American tragedy, not a Vietnamese one. Is Mel out to single-handedly rewrite history?