A good movie and a realistic one

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2006)

I do not particularly enjoy watching movies of this genre. I originally remember seeing We were Soldiers at the cinema and saw it last night again, this time on DVD. Firstly, the filmmakers endeavoured to be authentic in the details and the attention to detail reveals the seriousness to portray the events that occurred and reflect them with an honesty. The second is that an effort was made to show both the North Vietnamese and the US during the battle, not just from the American point of view. It did not glorify war but was sufficiently graphic to reveal that war is indeed horrifying and to dissuade those of us who may never find ourselves in such circumstances of having an illusions of it being otherwise.
Like Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan, it brings a gritty realism to film. I do not watch such films for 'entertainment'. They shock me sufficiently enough to recognise to a degree what the reality of war can be like. I say a degree, because unless any of us find ourselves physically living and experiencing such things, we will never comprehend what it is like, but in as much as is possible, I think that such films do accomplish this.
Before I saw the movie I understand that it depicted real events and having seen the documentary on the DVD, I appreciate further the enormous effort made behind the scenes in the making of this film. I think that it dealt with the battle, the issues surrounding it, the men that fought and died in a respectful and realistic manner.
Whether we agree on the larger issues of the Vietnam War, about Mel Gibson as an actor/director/person or the morality of war in general we should all be able to agree on one thing. This is that War is a horrifying fact of life in our world and that we should recognise the costs of it and respect those who sometimes find themselves fighting in it and dying in it.