dongillette

I don't know how this flew under my radar for 36 years, but it was a tour de force about Vietnam veterans and the struggles they faced once they came back home.

And on top of that, it was the definitive acting class led by Ed Harris who was nothing short of amazing. Robert DeNiro was also at his best--possibly better (or at least as good) as any role I've ever seen him in. And Kathy Baker was perfect in her role.

Okay, it was a bit fomulaic and the ending was telegraphed, but thanks to the way Ed Harris handled it, it didn't seem melodramtic or forced in any way. I don't know how Ed Harris didn't get an Oscar, but he did snag a Golden Globe for best supporting actor. WELL deserved. Again, a master class in acting.

The "military errors" were almost too much to bear, but if you can overlook them, this is a fairly well-done low-budget flick.

"Specialist Fourth Class" isn't a rank and never was. It was always Specialist Four. Black berets were sometimes (rarely) worn by armor crewmen, but never by infantrymen. The uniforms look like they were purchased from an Army Navy surplus store--none of them match and only a few of them are actualy Army-issue uniforms. No one in the Nam wore a flak jacket--too freaking hot. And no one had a goatee. Nobody ever saw a maple tree in Vietnam, either.

BUT... the acting was surprisingly good, the script was surprisingly good, and I'd love to see this thing remade with a military advisor and a location in Southeast Asia.

Horrific doesn't even come close.

I went in not knowing what to expect and from all descriptions and synopses I read, there was no indication of the brutality I was in for.

This thing starts innocently enough, but trust me, it is the farthest thing from innocent on the planet.

Worth a watch? I don't know. It wasn't hard to sit through the first hour, but after that things went sideways very quickly and the last 20 minutes was possibly the toughest piece of film I've ever sat through.

As another reviewer put it, I'm glad I had the opportunity to watch it, but I'll never ever watch it again. Chilling.