Brave yes, but why were they fighting there in the first place?

Rating: 4/10 (11 March 2002)

This would be a decent war movie if they had only tried to give some explanation as to why we were sending the brave soldiers to fight in Vietnam in the first place. After listening to Gibson go on and on about why we fight wars (to defend the innocent from the bad etc), I expected at least SOME attempt to establish why we were fighting that war, that battle. As it is, with no explanation and using Gibson's logic in the movie, I couldnt help think to myself that we were the invaders, the bad guys. I love a good war movie, but you cant leave loopholes like this in it. Im a conservative, but you cant just send troops to fight somewhere without a compelling reason, and this movie presents NO reason, let alone a compelling reason.