A riveting, compelling war drama

Rating: 7/10 (25 August 2002)

We Were Soldiers is an intense drama set during the vastness of the Vietnam War. The story does not only focus on the grave depiction of this war, but also focuses on the lives of the American soldiers. The audience is able to realize that lots of these men who fought bravely were fathers to their children and husbands to their wives. They were willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of their country and fight for a nation they could be proud of. Mel Gibson is one of those soldiers (Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore) who must also leave his life behind and lead these young soldiers into the heart of doom. Writer/director Randall Wallace does a wonderful job at bringing the devastation of war and the emotion of soldiers to an even match and turns the film into an amazing portrait of the American spirit. He doesn't just make us absorb the harshness of war in which there is a good and an evil. Wallace makes us feel sorry not just for the American soldiers, but also for the enemy soldiers who are also sacrificing their lives for the good of their country. We realize that it is not their choice to fight in this war and are made to believe that it is a matter of duty and honor. Earlier in the film, Moore describes the soldiers as "young boys" who are being shed into a hellacious mixture of death and agony. This line allows the audience to feel proud for these young soldiers who fought for their nation. Moore also makes a promise that he will bring every man under his command home (dead or alive) "so help him God". We learn from this line at the end of the movie that Moore was indeed a man of his word and would die to see that these young boys made it home. Randall Wallace tells of the story of 7th company with such effectiveness and power that the audience must shed a tear at the end. Indeed, Wallace has improved himself ever since he wrote the disastrous screenplay for Pearl Harbor. I would not be surprised if this film was not recognized at the end of the year as one of the best films of the year.
Lenny's Grade: ***1/2