Product: Casualties of War [UMD for PSP] (1989)
Rating: 5.0
One of the Most Brutal War Films Ever Made
While "Casualties of War" is not nearly as well know or respected as "Platoon", "Full Metal Jacket", or "Apocalypse Now" I think it is the best of the major Vietnam films. This is an unsparing indictment of the dehumanization of war, and Sean Penn is the most realistic villain of any of the films. It irks me that if this were European, or made a couple of decades earlier, it would be considered a masterpiece -- meanwhile anything Stanley Kubrick touched turned to cinematic gold.Things get off to a bit of a rocky start as De Palma frames the story as a flashback, starting out with a couple of scenes involving combat and warfare heroics. While the action is impressive, the direction is melodramatic and even a bit hammy. On the other hand, it's almost like De Palma is recreating some of the mood and spirit of a 1940s war film -- it's not gritty or cynical like "Platoon" or many other recreations of Vietnam. I have to think this was intentional. Still, I am not a Michael J. Fox fan in any way.But the story starts solidifying and things get really underway once the seemingly stoic and courageous sergeant, played by Sean Penn, comes up with the idea of "requisitioning" a Vietnamese girl for some "portable R&R;" on their next mission into the bush. What proceeds is an incredibly harsh, gut-wrenching portrayal of desperate, confused young men abusing, raping, and eventually murdering an innocent young woman. The aftermath of the rape is the best directing De Palma has ever done. Thuy Thu Le should always be remembered for her performance. Like others have said before me, it's almost difficult to take as a passive viewer -- it is truly one of the most powerful moments in any film I have ever seen.This is not a "sideshow" of war -- this true story cuts to the very sickness of war itself, and the toll it takes on all human life. Much more than the bloated & contrived "Apocalypse Now", or the somewhat aloof "Full Metal Jacket", De Palma's film pins the viewer in some unbelievably tense and realistic scenes of bullying, intimidation, and savagery. This is the true face of war stripped of its theatrics and machismo. This is the by-product of men pushed past the brink of their morals and humanity. It is the very same thing at the heart of Oliver Stone's excellent film, "Platoon." But I believe it is explored in more depth here.Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn are both very good in their roles -- I think it is by far the best work either actor has ever done. Fox, although wince-inducing as an infantry soldier at the beginning of the film, eventually earns his keep as a young man trying to maintain his composure as the world turns to hell around him. Sean Penn's portrayal of a charming and sadistic leader is spot-on. This is exactly how bullies act, exploiting people's weaknesses and preying on the need for acceptance. They make it all so simple if you follow their lead, but if you don't, then you'd better be able to fight until the end. Robert Duvall strutting shirtless on the shores of a river delta has nothing on this. And the thing is, I still think that you have to view Penn's character ambiguously. He is obviously a very feeling person -- unlike, say, Tom Berenger's character in "Platoon".I am a supporter of our armed services, but unfortunately it would seem that after a horrendous string of incidents in Iraq, Okinawa, and despicable sexist conduct about the U.S.S. Enterprise by its captain, our military is still infested with the kind of deplorable soldiers as are portrayed in this film. "Casualties of War" was meant to be a wake-up call and a harsh indictment of militarism gone horribly wrong, all the way from the privates on up the chain of command. Our military is more harmed by men of such low caliber than can be repaired by billions of dollars in defense spending.I honestly think this film is superior to "Paths of Glory", and for me rests right alongside "Das Boot" as one of the most powerful anti-war films ever made. I normally do not write reviews which are this long, but "Casualties of War" has never been given the credit it deserves, and watching it over twenty years since its theatrical release, I found it more meaningful than ever before.