One of the best Vietnam War movies ever.

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2002)

Edge of the seat from start to finish. Not a slow spot in it. It made me see that war is Hell.
I think it blew "Full Metal Jacket" out of the water. Because it didn't blow me away in just the first half. The whole movie blew me away.
It's got "Oscar" all over it. Mel should be up for Best Actor next year. As for Sam Elliot, as Best Supporting Actor. And it should be up for Best Picture next year. It's not just another "War" movie. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it's a great story about the first time the Air Cav went in to action.
What I thought was very interesting, was the way the film shows both sides of the battle. What was going on from both perspectives. I don't remember any other ...Nam movies doing that. Maybe I haven't seen them all, but the ones I have, never showed what was going on in the tunnels during the battles.
It was a positive movie about the War. It didn't come out with all the BS that happened during the late 60'S. It showed how these guys fought alongside each other. Not against each other.
It always seems to be the goal of every ...Nam film that comes out. Hollywood gives us pictures of American Troops against each other. There is a little pushing and shoving between American pilots, but I got the feeling from this movie that We still thought We were going to win the War.
It wasn't the kind of Vietnam War movie that ends leaving you wondering, "What the Hell was that?" There's a real story here and not a bunch of the depressing Hollywood liberal crap that they insist on putting in all of the films about this war. This one stands above that.
I felt proud about what these men did in that portion of the war. I was too young to know what was going on back in the mid 60'S and early 70'S, but I am not unaware of what went on during those times now. I was in a theatre that had some 25 year olds or teenagers in it. They laughed at some points of this film and don't have a clue about history. This war is old to them and they won't see what we do, until movies about our current campaign against terrorism comes out in the next year or so.
Sure it's a graphic film, but what war flick isn't? Vaporising napalm scenes and a few bloody body parts flying through the air is just how it goes.
Mel's Icon Productions has another winner here. Can't wait for the DVD! Sure to be a big winner a the rental counter too. Ciao