After oliver stones award winning Epic, Platoon another film made by him was sure to set my desire for his caliber of Vietnam war portrayal alight, however i feel there is something missing here in... Read more
this watered down rendition of a handsome young all american man (Tom Cruise) who volunteers for Vietnam, leaving his sort of girlfriend (Kyra Sedwick) at home. The scenes in Vietnam are brief, however what is shown is the appalling conditions of the War veterans hospital in down town america during the late 1960's early 70's and one mans journey from determined heroic patriot to cynical anarchist, rebelling against the brutality of the war against the VC which left him paralyzed from he waist down, unable to ever experience love from a woman. Willem Dafoe makes an appearance as a Vietnam veteran living the high life in mexico, he is also paralyzed and together the two share a bond of love, hate and total madness. The best part of the movie is definitely near the end, when at last the protester (tom cruise) who fought the gaggle of police informers during the anti war protests, gets to speak before thousands in the early 70's about the brutalities of war and just how unnecessary it really is. that part is worth the wait and Tom Cruise plays the part well, as he transitions very realistically and ages throughout the filmall in all a 3/5