The story of the first major battle of the american phase of the vietnam war and the soldiers on both sides that fought it. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 08/22/2006 Starring: Mel Gibson Greg Kinnear Run time: 138 minutes Rating: R Director: Randall Wallace
Based on the book by Lt. Col. Harold Moore (ret.) and journalist Joseph Galloway, We Were Soldiers offers a dignified reminder that the Vietnam War yielded its own crop of American heroes. Departing from Hollywood's typically cynical treatment of the war, writer-director Randall Wallace focuses on the first engagement of American soldiers with the North Vietnamese enemy in November 1965. Moore (played with colorful nuance by Mel Gibson) and nearly 400 inexperienced troopers from the U.S. Air Cavalry were surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army soldiers, and the film re-creates this brutal firefight with graphic authenticity, while telling the parallel story of grieving army wives back home. While UPI reporter Galloway (Barry Pepper) risks his life to chronicle the battle, Wallace offers a balanced (though somewhat fictionalized) perspective while eliciting laudable performances from an excellent cast. Like the best World War II dramas of the 1940s, We Were Soldiers pays tribute to brave men while avoiding the pitfalls of propaganda. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Excellent Movie:
I ordered this DVD based on the praise in the reviews, because I wanted a DVD that showed how the the war in Vietnam with the North actually was. I was not disappointed. Mel Gibson, who played the part of Lt. Col Hal Moore did an excellent job. And the Producers, and the Director, Randall Wallace, produced and directed an outstanding movie. They did an excellent job of depicting the scenes as they actually happened, or as close as possible. And the inclusion of the Wives and Families was a brilliant... more info
A touching, excellent war movie:
Again, another classic movie that will be around for a while. It's touching, real and gives personal insight into the lives of the people portrayed in this based- on true life movie. Excellent war movie and a must-see for people that like war movies.
Gibson & Elliott Deliver: Vietnam War in a Microcosm:
One of the best Vietnam war movies made, "We Were Soldiers" features some of the most realistic combat scenes conveying the "fog of battle" and horror of combat. The story development may seem slow at first, but allows some appreciation of the characters involved and the context of the battle. The action is fast paced, showing the battle from both the North Vietnamese and American points of view, but is broken by the juxtaposition of poignant events on the home front and political machinations in the rear... more info
Amazing movie and book:
This movie is action packed and emotionally charged. This is a great film from start to finish and Mel Gibson was absolutely amazing. You get drawn into this film from the beginning and you start to understand what our Vietnam veterans went through over there. This film is specifically focusing on the first battle between the US military and the North Vietnamese soldiers. It was a brutal battle. If you liked the movie, I would highly recommend buying the book... and vice versa. Again, I absolutely love this... more info
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