Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Randall Wallace - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Mel Gibson, Madeline Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, Chris Klein, Barry Pepper, Keri Russell more
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 a minor achievement in battle. Efforts are made to disguise this (a slightly less than demonic side of the enemy is shown) but it's a thin veil. With today's politically correct values imposed on it (we're all one family in the US army blah blah) this film simply smacks of insincerity. It's basically a couple of hours of blowing up Johnny Foreigner. Yee hah!
With characterisation occuring with just two soldiers (and even then poorly) it's hard to give two hoots when the Americans stumble under enemy fire. Splashes of blood hitting the screen add little to the emotional impact. Frankly I've seen more moving statues.
And that's the most disturbing thing about this film. The constant bombardment of violent images adds to the desensitisation that years of only experiencing war through movies and the media has already created. War is hell. People die violently and unnecessarily. And it takes more than Mel Gibson giving his cutsey on-screen daughter a lame explanation of why men go to war to portray that reality.
As war with Iraq looms over our heads again, this film's inability to confront the important issues screams out. That the Americans shouldn't have been in Vietnam in the first place isn't mentioned. Only that more troops should have been sent. With the US currently preparing to blast their way through yet another nation it seems that little has been learnt. And with Blair pandering to Bush's every reckless desire one line from the film recurs. "I'm glad I could die for my country," states a dying soldier. This corny line takes on a more poignant meaning in the current context. Will our men be as glad to die for America?
We Were Soldiers is 140 minutes long and is rated a 15. If you liked Pearl Harbour you may enjoy this film. Personally, I would recommend Full Metal Jacket as a far superior take on war.
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How does it compare to similar films?
Weak
How does it compare to others by the same director?
Unmemorable
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We Were Soldiers [2002]
We Were Soldiers, based on the bestselling account of the battle of La Drang valley at the
... more
outset of the Vietnam War, is the latest Mel Gibson Braveheart-esque offering where plot and characterisation, rather than the men who lost their lives in the co...
We Were Soldiers [2002]
We Were Soldiers, based on the bestselling account of the battle of La Drang valley at the
... more
outset of the Vietnam War, is the latest Mel GibsonBraveheart-esque offering where plot and characterisation, rather than the men who lost their lives in the con...
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