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We Were Soldiers

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We Were Soldiers (2002)

March. 01,2002
|
7.2
|
R
| Action History War
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The story of the first major battle of the American phase of the Vietnam War and the soldiers on both sides that fought it.

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Reviews

Rijndri
2002/03/01

Load of rubbish!!

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Steineded
2002/03/02

How sad is this?

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Huievest
2002/03/03

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

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Robert Joyner
2002/03/04

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

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jplog75
2002/03/05

An over dramatic representation of a moment in history that doesn't need it. More along the lines of Heartbreak Ridge or Death Before Dishonor instead of classics like Platoon or Full Metal Jacket. I like less cheese in my military movies.

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philiphigley-07679
2002/03/06

Its old but not gold. Terrible acting and writing. This feels like a hollywood movie that has been made in two weeks. It shows that the soldiers faced hard ods but i dont think its good enogh to diserve a score of 7.2

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n-m-bertin
2002/03/07

"We Were Soldiers" has the reputation of getting the Vietnam war right in the eyes of the veterans. So I was expecting a realistic battle. That I got, and I was pleased to see the Vietcong side as well, which you never see. I also loved Barry Pepper's character, even though he's on film for maybe 20% of the movie. It felt right. But what didn't and ruined the movie for me is the shooting location. They shot this in California; I didn't know that before watching it. But immediately I thought "I feel in a temperate climate somewhere in Europe or North America, not in South-East Asia". The trees are wrong, the grasses are wrong, the dried creeks are wrong. They could have shot this in the Philippines, like Apocalypse Now, in Thailand, Malaysia... Even in central America like Panama or something. Why the hell go to California ? For all the things it got right, I really regret that location choice.

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Leofwine_draca
2002/03/08

A solid and highly impressive war movie, one of the latest to follow in the wake of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and one which is no less moving and powerful. This time around the setting is Vietnam at the beginning of the war in 1965, but the setting and the enemy is not really important. Instead this film focuses on the humanity of the American soldiers involved and the way they must band together in order to survive, employing the now clichéd "leave no man behind" type morale to lead them through it. The film is utterly entertaining due to the tons of action and fighting that it offers and only now, with the modern advent of digital effects, can cinema deliver incredible scenes of action and violence in a realistic manner (check out the napalm bombing, where CGI planes fly past overheard and they look just like the real thing).Mel Gibson is a good choice as the lead, Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore, and even if the film hadn't been as good it still could have been carried by Gibson alone, who adopts the persona as his own and puts in an assured, likable, human but tough performance. Gibson's becoming a real pro at portraying military leaders these days and his performance here is no exception, one of the finest I've seen from the man. Similarly there are also some great supporting roles from Greg Kinnear (underused as a helicopter pilot sickened by the death toll) and Sam Elliott as a tough but worthy sergeant. Also worth watching for is Barry Pepper as an American reporter, forced to take up arms and fight for his life when the battle closes in around him.The film is strong on sentimentality and very moving in parts, especially the scenes where the wives back home decide to deliver the death letters themselves. Although sentimental it never gets overdone or mawkish like in a Spielberg movie, never uncomfortable. The action sequences are excellent and the movie has one of the best soundtracks I've heard. In the documentary on the DVD it says that over ten thousand bullet shots are heard in the movie and they come at you constantly from all directions, really putting you into the middle of the battle like BLACK HAWK DOWN did.The film is also pretty gory with one or two scenes of ultra-horror, such as the Chinese soldier who gets his body destroyed with napalm but still carries on surviving. Special effects, both computer and makeup, are outstanding and the music is more than appropriate, especially a Scottish ballad that they play which is pretty moving. I also liked the fact that we saw from the point of view of the Vietcong, albeit briefly; this humanises an enemy so often portrayed as simply demonic and evil and gives the film an extra level. WE WERE SOLDIERS is a prime-time piece of entertainment and one of the best films of the year.

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