"We Were Soldiers" is based on the reallife events of November 14th 1965, when American troops fought their first major battle in Viet Nam.

Rating: 5/10 (12 June 2002)

Around four hundred men of the First Battalion of the Seventh Cavalry (General Custers former regiment!) were surrounded by nearly two thousand North Vietnamese soldiers for three days, and the battle went down in US military history as one of the most savage the countrys forces were ever involved in. Writer/director Randall Wallace (who also supplied the screenplay for Mel Gibsons multiple award winning "Braveheart") adapted his screenplay from the book written by two of the battles survivors; the man who lead his troops into battle, Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore  Mel Gibson, in the films leading role  and war photographer Joseph Gallway (played by Barry Pepper).
A number one movie at the US box office, the film is undoubtedly at its best when it recreates the battle itself, and its to Wallaces credit that we can actually follow its progress tactically, as Moore constantly tries to outwit his North Vietnamese counterpart to ensure his troops survival. As weve come to expect in these post "Saving Private Ryan" days the portrayal of warfare itself is brutal and shocking, with the threat of sudden death and terrifying wounds almost constantly present, and a total reliance upon your fellow soldiers. While its impossible to have nothing but respect for the troops involved in the actual battle, what might prove a little too much for English audiences is the films "God Bless America" moral righteousness and flag waving jingoism, particularly in the scenes involving the soldiers in training, their families back home, and that final shot of the stars and stripes. Its also unfortunate that the film follows so closely on the heels of Ridley Scotts "Black Hawk Down," which not only dealt with many of the same themes but also had the advantage of a visionary director at the helm; by comparison "We Were Soldiers" is somewhat leaden and  admittedly, perhaps because its a set almost forty years ago  distinctly old fashioned.