The harsh reality of Hollywood.

Rating: 4/10 (20 August 2002)

Many good films have been made about the American/Vietnamese conflict from the sensationalistic and unpretentious "Apocalypse Now" to many serious minded documentaries about the harsh reality of the war. "We Were Soldiers" is not one of them. A pretentious retelling of the first major American engagement with the Vietnamese on the battlefield (circa 1965), the film is one contrived, obvious, and fabricated scene after another from crying because you lived and your men didn't (a success for a field commander) to coming home unannounced (yeah, right) to a feeble attempt to honor the Vietnamese warriors, etc. etc. etc. This flick is blatant commercialism under the guise of patriotism and a poor tribute to the fighting men and women who sacrificed during the Vietnam conflict. The only thing sadder than the mentality behind "We Were Soldiers" is the mentality that supported it at the box office and in critical reviews. (C-)