This is perfect to recruit new soldiers!

Rating: 3/10 (3 September 2009)

Strange, I had a weird feeling during 'We Were Soldiers.' I thought of aliens. No, I don't believe in extra terrestrials, but I had such an unusual feeling that if aliens were watching us when the attacks happened in this movie or in real life, what were they thinking? Oh, yeah – "IDIOTS." How on Earth can such sophisticated beings plan on continuing when they can't seem to get any conflict resolved? I honestly don't want to sound un-American or un-Patriotic, but what a bunch of losers the human kind can be? For the first part of 'Soldiers' we are given the normal/boring/typical vision of 1960's United States before it sent young men into a never-ending conflict bend on making money for the rich. Then we plunge into a fierce battle of unprepared Americans for the remainder of the movie. Very graphic, I might add. So it does add a lot of the realism to WAR – or "conflict." Unfortunately, it barely attempts an "unbiased" view of both sides fighting (notice a lot of sympathy on the American side, and somewhat, or little on the Vietnam side.) OK, I admit, I'm thoroughly ignorant on the whole war, especially this one battle, but someone had to get rich. Maybe more than one person. Again, let's focus on the outside influence that might be watching – perhaps, aliens – and see what they think of higher ups that plan on getting rich off of human beings being inhumanely slaughtered. Perhaps, I am bitter, anti-war, but seriously look at this enormously realistic view of a battle and tell me that it was all worth killing living, human beings foroh I'm sorry, what again were they trying to accomplish and failed?
Side note: as much as I'm a Gibson/Elliott fan, they seemed very bulletproof whenever they stood up. Hmmmm.
Overall it wasn't a terrible movie, (in fact, the fight scenes were thoroughly realistic) but it's so depressing on how STUPID people are. Seriously, you're a general, or top-ranking military person, or President (and wife) and you have absolutely no problem telling someone to go and kill someone of the same species (and die trying) because it will make money for some fool in the long run? I have the deepest respect for those who put their lives on the line for normal civilians, but condemn the leaders who put them in that position. This movie made me think I was at Woodstock protesting (before my time): "Make Love Not War."
Question: Am I supposed to praise this General played by Gibson? Am I supposed to think, well, he did his "civic" duty and lead these men to the death because he was not supposed to question a higher rank?
They finish the movie with the typical journey down the Vietnam wall memorial. Honestly, I don't see them as fools. I would suspect a great majority, if not 99.9%, were drafted by the same people who wanted more money – hmm, doesn't it always come down to money? I truly honor their lives as they're the innocents. It's simply unbearable how those who planned on profit for people's souls could still sleep at night.