Another example of over patriotic producing

Rating: 5/10 (21 March 2005)

There's nothing wrong with patriotism, but We Were Soldiers takes it to a whole new level.
All in all its a very good action war film, even if its a but formalistic (guess what happens to the guy that just had a baby born), but as said all in all a pretty good film.
Gibson is great as the caring but firm commanding officer, Hal Moore, and teamed up with Sam Elliot have some of the most amusing parts in the film playing the battle hardened veterans ("You can't shoot a gun lyin on yer belly son kneel up and kill those b******s") Unfortunaly it is riddled with ridiculous patriotism (border line propaganda America is great look at Americans stick together blah blah) Heres the spoiler bit but it is not really essential to the plot: There is a scene where the cab driver that delivers the condolence for you lost husband letter arrives at Moore's (gibson) house in the US, as it turns out hes just lost she goes crazy cause she thought is for her he says he doesn't like the job (big breath) she says drop all of them here and ill deliver them. Pretty good scene and very powerful that shows war doesn't just affect families of soldiers. Mrs Moore now goes to deliver the telegram accompanied by the pregnant wife of a soldier. We now have the weeping wife's refusal to accept the letter. Highly charged an emotional again excellently acted. Retur to Moores house and there's about 20 telegrams sitting at the door step the 2 women agree to to them both together one at a time without peaking.
And thats where it should have cut to the next act. A very powerful and moving scene.
But its not its ruined by a silly montage of many weeping wife's and even a shot of the American flag . At one point i was waiting for a section with all the women that have got their telegrams marching up to the next house and that wife joining the procession. That didn't happen but might have well have as the whole montage devalues the powerful scenes before hand and demeans the meaning of the film.
This should have been a factual film based on the horrors that the families suffered at the hands of the government at the time not a tool used to show how Americans are great and can perceiver.
The event itself could be compared to the battle of rokes drift (Zulu starring Michael Cane) in that the soldiers are grossly outnumbered. But clever thinking, teamwork and bravery allowed the majority to survive and tell the tale.
As the film finished i couldn't help but feel it was an Americain Victory which when you look at it clearly was not.