The Odd Angry Shot

Terribly underrated, and generally unknown in the US. Although the film deals with Australian troops in Viet Nam, this could very easily have been any of the US units. Any of us who served on the ground there will recognize these men as buddies we knew. The combat sequences in this film are among the best ever filmed, and until "Platoon" came along, it was one of the few films that portrayed the combat experience in Viet Nam as it really was. Like "84 Charlie MoPic", it's a small film that tells a large story without beating you over the head with its message. When people ask me which are the best films about that endless mess in Viet Nam, this is one of the first films I refer them to (along with "MoPic"). My VHS copy is just about worn out; I never tire of its grim humor and honest story. (USMC, Viet Nam 67-69)

THE ODD ANGRY SHOT is a slice-of-life war film following the misadventures of a squad of Aussie soldiers who've signed up to do their duty for their country. Australia isn't the first country you think of when it comes to the Vietnam war, so seeing it depicted through their eyes makes for an unusual viewing experience.

In any case, this is one of the most distinctly Australian-feeling films I've seen. It's packed full of that unique brand of laid-back humour and bravado, and the funny script is by far the best thing about it. That, and the fact that the cast list has been populated by future stars (Bryan Brown, John Jarratt) alongside seasoned veterans (Graeme Kennedy).

THE ODD ANGRY SHOT is perhaps one of the most realistic war films out there in depicting real life for soldiers fighting on the front line: an uneasy mixture of brief, bloody fire-fights mixed with a lot of boredom, camaraderie and attempts at entertainment. It's hardly the kind of film to set the world on fire, but it is well made and it holds the attention throughout.

A really well constructed Australian film, that accurately portrays the Vietnam 'feeling' in this country. Best described as a sad thought provoking work, with some excellent and funny performances by the skilled cast. A low budget film that 'over achieves' its message.

On recent viewing, I have been surprised by how well the film reflected upon individual Australians' involvement in The Vietnam War. It also, through a couple of monologues from old hand, Graham Kennedy, dispassionately reflected upon the ultimate futility of Australia's involvement. Perhaps its greatest strength was documenting the Australian male character of the times without reverting to a "lovable larrikins" approach. The battle scenes are done without heroics or dramatics. There is a matter of factness about the activities and reactions of the unit that makes them seem all the more realistic.The boredom, routines and irritations of jungle warfare are there as well as the odd angry shot that punctuates guerilla warfare. Loved the low-key ending which resisted taking aim at the unjust treatment of the returning vets but did reflect their estrangement as a presentiment of their future problems in readjusting.

I first saw THE ODD ANGRY SHOT in the early 1980s when my knowledge of the Vietnam war was very little and my knowledge of Australian involvement was zero . It also has the distinction of being - Apart from THE GREEN BERETS so that doesn`t count - the first feature film I saw to be set around the conflict of the Vietnam war which was fortunate because this low budget Aussie film doesn`t hold up very well compared to the big budget Hollywood productions of the 70s and 80s . For example the locations resemble the bush of Northern Australia rather than the jungles of Indo -China , that`s probably because this film was indeed filmed in Northern Australia , and the fact that Australia has such a small pool of actors means some of them are unconvincing as SAS soldiers , namely Graham Kennedy .

I wholeheartedly defend this film for not having massive battle scenes because that wasn`t actually the role of the Aussie SAS in Vietnam . Based in the province of Phouc Tuy about 70 kilometres South East of Saigon the regiment`s role was intelligence gathering , reconnaissance and identifying VC guerrillas in supposedly " friendly territory " , in other words their missions were totally different from the way the American military decided to fight the war ; ie as a conventional conflict . Though it should be pointed out THE ODD ANGRY SHOT goofs that several SAS soldiers died in the conflict , in reality the SAS lost their one and only trooper in a firefight in January 1967 .

Not to be totally negative the film makes the poignant and all too real statement at the end that instead of treating its former servicemen as heroes - Whatever the rights and wrongs of a war - no one will care because " They`re more interested in what`s happening on Coronation Street " . How true . How bitterly unfairly true