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MAINPAGE - RECENT CINEMA RELEASES - RECENT VIDEO RELEASES - THE ARCHIVES - LINKS We Were Soldiers (15's) Main Cast
Director: Randall Wallace Rating: 3 STARS - Worth a watch. Plot Summary: Lt. Col. Hal Moore has been assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 7th Air Cavalry that has been trained so that they can be flown quickly in and out of battle by helicopter. This new experimental system of warfare will be used for the first time in Vietnam. In 1965 Lt. Col. Hal Moore is ordered to take his troops into Vietnam’s Valley of Death. He has reservations about the mission and his concerns are justified when the 400 men under his command come under attack from almost 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers… Review: This war film is based on true events that occurred at the beginning of the Vietnam War. It’s main objective is to pay tribute to the heroism and bravery of the soldiers that fought in the battle. The first part of the film shows the troops being trained in America and includes a lot of family scenes with the soldiers’ wives and children. Unfortunately these scenes are heavy handed and too much effort is made in giving the message that these men are not only soldiers but also god-fearing husbands and fathers. There are some corny scenes and some bad dialogue. The second part of the movie moves to Vietnam and the battle scenes are done exceptionally well. The heroism and bravery of the soldiers is shown although the patriotic gung-ho element is a little strong. The horror and waste of war is also portrayed in these scenes. Perhaps the most moving scenes in the film are when the “death notices” start to arrive to the wives of the soldiers who have been killed in action. Mel Gibson comes into his own in the second part of the movie during the battle scenes when he is quite convincing as Lt. Col. Hal Moore but some over sentimental dialogue proves a bit too corny. Madeleine Stowe plays the Colonel’s wife and she too, while credible, suffers because of poor dialogue. While the intentions may have been good I’m not sure that this film is a fitting tribute to the men who died or who were injured or the families who suffered. Reviewed by Niall Quinn, Premier Movie Reviews 2002 MAINPAGE - RECENT CINEMA RELEASES - RECENT VIDEO RELEASES - THE ARCHIVES - LINKS |