Excellent - shame they changed the ending though

Rating: 9/10 (10 March 2006)

Just had to comment on the previous write up. This is an excellent film however the ending differs greatly from the book which was written by the American journalist Joe Galloway who was there on the ground throughout the battle. In true movie-world tradition the ending was changed to show the Americans winning when in fact they were bailed out by other American troops who were also then attacked and took seriously heavy casualties. Why can't films based on the truth keep to the truth?
As to the film itself it covers the historical changing of the American army from World War 2 equipment and tactics to the new M16 and helicopter based infantry. Covering the first major battle of the American involvement in the Vietnam war it shows the guts and horror of close quarter battle in overwhelming circumstances. To the films credit it also covers the difficulty of the wives left at home being notified of the deaths of friends and loved ones by telegram.