Private War

My review was written in June 1990 after watching the movie on Republic Pictures video cassette.

Joe Dallesandro gives an effective character performance in the above-average action drama "Private War". Completed 18 months ago, pic comes off the self to become a direct-to-video title.

Known from his stardom 20 years ago in Andy Warhol/Paul Morrissey's hits like "Flesh" and "Trash", Dallesandro is cast against type as a very tough special force sergeant who's gone off the deep end. Early in the film he's relieved of his command due to physically terrorizing his soldiers, stationed at an Army Airborne infantry unit in Northern Italy.

Notable target for his venom is Martin Hewitt, shoes dad served with Dallesandro in Vietnam and is still listed as missing in action. Actually, he died when Dallesandro left him behind in combat to save his own skin, guilt for which has turned him latterly into a psycho.

Though dwelling on a corny subplot of corrupt military brass and self-styled patriots on a hunting expedition (with Kimberly Beck as the tight-sweatered investigative reporter trying to expose them), film develops panache in the final reels.

Filmed atmospherically in Yugoslavia on actual sites of World War II battles, the payoff of Dallesandro having trained Hewitt to be his executioner is thematically resonant and well played. Cruel finish takes an overly despairing view of humanity.

Spitting out colorful, unexpurgated dialog and looking the part with a butch military haircut, Dallesandro is surprisingly convincing in an acting stretch. Framl DePalma's direction is well-paced and photography by Karpo Godina (a director in his own right, repped at the Cannes festival by "Artificial Paradise") is firstrate.

Pretty convoluted story, save to say it's about the 'Sarges' guilt over something that he did in Vietnam ie: letting his buddy get killed.

Who wouldn't have guilt eating them up inside after turning your back if a friend was in a fight and you didn't help, or worse, if you're in the ARMY and didn't support some of your guys if you were stationed in Iraq for example and were fired on by the enemy? The reason the sarge didn't help his buddy was fear. No, he didn't just freeze up or whatever, see the movie, I think it provides good reasons why the sarge is as f***** up as he is.

Anyway Joe Dallesandros' character even has a black sense of humour which I can see probably alot of Defence force vets having, but the sarge is also overwhelmingly defensive about everything in his past. And please, if an ex army guy/girl etc reads this, please don't say you.ve never had live rounds fired at you during training, even 'accidentally'.

Maybe that's why the movie wasn't that successful, because it's TOO realistic. There's a sub plot about high ranking (At Colonel level anyway) armaments deals between the US military and organised crime. Now how realistic is that? (I won't mention the guns for hostages scandal during the Reagan administration. Oh, OK I did)

Anyway, I think everyone seeks redemption for something wrong they've done and so does the sarge, he just seeks his redemption, well check the movie out because there's a bit of Vince Rayker in us all.

I must say this movie definitely left an impression back about 5 years ago. I taped it off Cinemax and saw it about 3 times because it had an awesome plot concerning this deranged 'Nam vet dude. After he kills a person, he chops off their finger; second victim - 2 fingers, third victim - 3 fingers. And so on. Well, one of his comrades is going to stop him and the action is well choreographed. Has a surprise ending, too. If you're in for a neat little action flick, whether these events could happen or not, I suggest ya check this sucker out.