We Were Soldiers (Wide Screen) > Reviews

Advantages: Best film ever, true story
Disadvantages: When i find one i will tell you. The knowledge of all the death being true

...based on the book We were soldiers once….and young. I have not read this to date and cant say exactly how close it is to this. I am planning on reading this very shortly and will update when I have. History behind all of this: The Americans decided that they couldn't keep up with the terrain and moving troops so came up with the idea of shipping troops in via helicopters. Genius at the time and now a very productive tactic in modern war. The ... Read review

Advantages: action packed,well directed, good SPX, great movie!
Disadvantages: some corn little boring at times

The plot: Gripping truly based war epic. The first engagement between American forces and the North Vietnamese Army which occurred in 1965 in the Ia Drang Valley. The American forces were not expecting the mass amount of enemy troops that were in the valley and as you can imagine the results were horrendous. Lt Col Hal Moore (Gibson), the leader of the 7th Cavalry, enters The Valley of Death with his troops, only to be outnumbered ten-to-one in the ... Read review

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...of history. The first time we saw them was in the superb Braveheart, a movie which few can deny is flawed historically, but ultimately superb in terms of pure entertainment value, this time they tackle the first major conflict between US marines and the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam war. Historically, its probably just as inaccurate - but frankly its Hollywood and its damn entertaining so who cares! Like Black Hawk Down and Tom Hanks' ... Read review

Advantages: wonderful, enthralling film
Disadvantages: you'll cry buckets

...‘We were soldiers once.......and young’, We Were Soldiers is a powerful, moving, funny war film based on a true story. It’s set in 1965 during the Vietnam War. Lt Col Hal Moore (Mel Gibson) and his regiment of 400 men are flown into Ia Drang Valley which is surrounded by 2000 Vietnamese soldiers. What follows is one of the bloodiest battles in the Vietnam War. But it is so much more than just another war film. The film begins ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant blend of Violence and emotion
Disadvantages: Some cheesiness at the start

...This unfortunate occurrence has befallen We Were Soldiers which has been written off by everyone, judging it on whether they liked the violence or not. Many people just thought that it was another dumb chest beating-go America movie such as others from the recent glut of War films like Black Hawk Down and Behind Enemy Lines. I expected We Were Soldiers to be irretrievably cheesy, over sentimental and clumsily emotional in a Forrest Gump kind of way. ... Read review

Advantages: This film also shows what the woman went through.
Disadvantages: Alot of hitting the camera for more affects.

We sat last night watching this DVD again last night as you might have experenced yourself there was nothing on tv due to sport. But I truly forgot how great this film was.There are many great stars in this film with Mel Gibson being no stranger to war movies. The film begins with Lt Colonel Hal Moore and his family turning up at his new base camp were the helicopters are training on sundays and the soildiers are playing baseball. But not long ... Read review

Advantages: True events, real people, was history.
Disadvantages: It takes too long to learn

...that should be told least we forget what they sacrificed on both sides. In military terms, this was a watershed and was a first in several ways. - First time US Marines had met the NVA in battle. - First use of the Air Mobile Division. - First mass use of the M16 Assault Rifle. - First “Broken Arrow” situation in Vietnam. - The point in time when US involvement was increased to 125,000. There are numerous poignant moments, one is when ... Read review

Advantages: Mel Gibson - if that floats your boat
Disadvantages: Pearl Harbour-esque

We Were Soldiers is based on the memoirs of Colonel Moore (played by Mel Gibson) who reluctantly led his squadron to war in 1965. Dropped into the Ia Drang Valley (aka the valley of the shadow of death) they soon found themselves surrounded by North Vietmanese solidiers. Many violent deaths, and telegrams home to dutiful wives, later they achieved a small victory. Yes, this film is as it sounds - yet another example of American filmakers glorifying ... Read review

Advantages: A non biased film looking at loss from both sides
Disadvantages: None

...you've got your mission, however we can't tell you how viable it is!! GREAT! Gee thanks Guys.. The troops were flown in by Helicopters and they had no sooner set foot on ground when they immediately came underfire. Striaght into a full scale battle.. They found themselves surrounded by approximately 2000 North Vietnamese Soldiers. The American troops struggled for three days, being cut off and eventually had to admit that they were becoming over ... Read review

Advantages: Truthful, non-glorifying, tells both sides
Disadvantages: Too much truth for some, you have to get past Mel Gibson doing his "mad in the face of danger"

This film is one of the best Vietnam war films made, and is seriously under-rated, being frequently ignored in the "top ten" lists of the great and good reviewers. Althought Mel Gibson is a good actor, he may be the reason it is dropped from the list of "cool" Vietnam war films. He still pulls the "mad in the face of danger" routine, which wears a bit thin, but if you can ignore this, the film is a film of merit which deserves a place in your DVD ... Read review

Advantages: sound effects, true story, educational
Disadvantages: None that i can remember, pure class.

Overall, a very powerfull and compelling acount on the vietnam war. Based on a true story, Mel Gibson and his new infantry regiment get thrown into VC territory, massivly out numbered and at a huge disadvantage, the story follows on a powerful nature of war and loss of life, very gory in places, with excellent action sequences throughout most of the film and great sound effects keeping the viewer hooked to the screen. Keeping u transfixed until the ... Read review

Advantages: Storyline
Disadvantages: Can make a grown man cry

Where do I start!! You could say from the beginning, well I would reply with "do you really want me to start at all!". This film based on the book 'We were Soldiers......Once', is a dramatic roller coaster taking you to the front line of the vietnamese war. Where 400 soldiers were surrounded by 2000 enemy soldiers, their determination to survive. Mel Gibson is the main man in this film, showing true grit of an army officer taking his men into ... Read review