84C MoPic (1989)

Memorable, crazy movie

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

84C 'MoPic' is a military cameraman filming a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) mission during the Vietnam War. LT is a lieutenant new in country and eager to climb the military ladder. OD (Richard Brooks) is a wise sergeant. Easy is short. With Pretty Boy, Hammer and Cracker, the group encounters the enemy and dangers along the way.This is what is today referred to as found footage movie. The movie is filmed through MoPic's camera point of view. What I love the most are the little insightful moments of the cat and mouse game with the North Vietnamese. Some of the 'talk' with the group gets a bit too written. Asking Cracker about his black leader is too on-the-nose. The low budget doesn't interfere too much. It forces the movie to focus on the small group. The action isn't as compelling as one would expect because it does get confused. In a way, it's more realistic but less cinematic. This is a fascinating experiment in filmmaking.

84 Charlie Mopic was a latter day entry in the late 80's cycle of Vietnam War movies. By this point in time there had been so many of these films that the sub-genre was running out of ideas. For that reason it seems likely that film-makers had to come up with new methods of presenting this material. To this end, 84 Charlie Mopic adopts a decidedly different approach in that it takes the form of a docudrama shot from a first person perspective via the video footage of a combat journalist sent out with an American platoon on a reconnaissance mission in the jungle. You have to remember that this was a very early example of the found-footage genre which was popularised a decade later by The Blair Witch Project (1999) and which has become very common place since. And while this was not the first film to use this technique, it was still very uncommon at the time and from this perspective has to be considered a commendably original approach.Having said this, I just wish I could say I liked the movie more. On paper, it sounds like a good concept that has considerable potential. In practice it doesn't really work so well. It's very low budget is always obvious and it never really feels like we are ever in Vietnam, it looks more like a forest in the American Everglades or something. Not only this but it is very slow-paced and relies on dramatics far more than on action. Nothing wrong with that but the problem is that for this to work the script has to be decent but sadly for the most part the dialogue is fairly poor and the characters are not especially well defined, not helped by quite mediocre acting. Don't get me wrong, it has moments of interest, such as a tense interview scene which illustrated how racial differences that are an issue in civilian life cease to be relevant in the context of a combat platoon. There is also a dramatic scene in which an enemy soldier is captured and the manner in which this is dealt with showcases the ugliness of war; while the ending of the film worked quite well even if it was a little sudden. So, there are good moments in this movie, yet for the most part I found it to be a plodding and overly limited production. I give it credit for ideas but its execution was very lacking.

Something like this might not look original now, but back when it was released it was probably refreshing and innovative. An army cameraman (code-name Charlie MoPic) films a small recon platoon to record the procedures of combat situations in the jungles of Vietnam. Think of its low-budget (and it shows) and especially competing with Vietnam war films of the late 80s like "Platoon", "Full Metal Jacket" and "Hamburger Hill". Looking for a different angle to set it apart… which I don't know how successful it was, as I only heard of the film for the first time a couple months back. It does remind me of the TV show "Tour of Duty", which if I remember correctly had an episode using this concept. Still "84 Charlie MoPic" is quite a personal, gut-wrenching and gritty look into the exploits on the front-line. It doesn't shy away either, giving the characters plenty of time to bond and open up with their differing perspectives. It's driven by its dialogues/characters, as it's in the details, commonplace but realistic. Sometimes a little slow and meandering, but those looking for constant action will be hugely disappointed, as when it occurs its only minor and the Viet Cong are kept mainly unseen, but it does have impact because we feel every inch of pain, discomfort and disorientation the soldiers encountered. This is where the intensity arrives from; the chemistry and respect between the men. That when they start getting picked off in quick concession, the intimate styling crafted gave it a more grounded sense that played to its strengths. It's primal, instinctive, as their combat training makes little headway in their quest for survival. There are no rules in this war, where danger is always there. The performances are raw, but believable and well-delivered by a bunch of no names. The low-scale handling gives it an organic, but tight and humid touch Written and directed by Patrick Luncan, he makes good use of the one idea concept and lets it flow accordingly to achieve maximum effect.

While it may not be the first war movie shot from a first-personcamera perspective, it's certainly the first and only one I've seenand I like the whole Mo Pic documentary feel of the film. I don'tthink this is a great movie or a great war movie, but it sure isinteresting and I like to watch it every now and then. From myunderstanding of Vietnam and the military though, certain thingswere highly unrealistic in terms of what characters say, but it'seasy to get past that. The plot moves right along and this movie isNOT predictable. It's a smart low-budget (I'd assume) movie thatachieves what it sets out to achieve; a definite must-see for anywar film fans.