The framework is there, but it lacks filling

Rating: Null/10 (27 September 2003)

"We Were Soldiers" is an unusual film to me, as it seems to have the framework laid to be a very successful wartime drama, but lacks the body to fill it out properly and convincingly. It's as though in theory the plot seemed balanced and in-depth, but in execution it fell short. On paper, I'd assume the film was trying to look at the Vietnam War from three balanced perspectives: that of the US soldiers, of the North Vietnamese, and finally of the wives of the US soldiers. However watching it, there is no balance of the perspectives, and a whole lot more film time is dedicated to the plight of the US soldiers. The wives plight seems a bit thin in it's development, as does that of the N. Vietnamese. It might aswell just stick to it's roots and be a war-film, rather than try to branch off into being a drama.
I got the impression as-well that it was trying to touch on racism and multi-culturulism, but once again failed to develop these themes. After the initial 45-minutes of the film, it descends into the war scenes, and seems to forget everything that it's just been trying to get across.
That said however, Mel Gibson does remain pretty constant throughout the film, and his character is well-developed. He just doesn't seem to sit right in a war film though. His character is supposed to be a man who feels the pressure of history and leadership on his shoulders, and in this role Gibson excels. But he comes across in his usual Mr. Nice Guy way, which doesn't fit the tone of the war scenes.
I'd of prefered this film to have been longer so that more time could of been allocated to the development of it's different themes. I'd of also prefered to have seen the N. Vietnamese commanders character, and Gibson's wifes' character developed more. There just seems to be not enough main characters in the film. The war reporters character is very strange aswell, his is a character that needs developing the most. The film isn't a bad film, it's just trying to be too many things at once, and failing to be them. Watch it for Gibson's performance and the action sequences, not the more deeper stuff.