Film Review - We Were Soldiers (From Western Telegraph)

Film Review - We Were Soldiers

We Were Soldiers Directed by Randall Wallace. Starring Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Sam Elliott, Greg Kinnear, Chris Klein. (Cert. 15, Dur. 138 mins)

This film is based upon the book written by Mel Gibsons real life character, Lt. Col. Harold Moore. It is his account of the first ground battle of the Vietnam War, in 1965. The Vietnam War of the movies has an easily recognisable taste or atmosphere. We Were Soldiers deals with a Vietnam I have never thought about, the beginning, when it was new, before disillusionment and political stupidity could take its toll on the military effort.

Mel Gibsons character is a tough but caring and paternal officer leading his crack team of 400 young men, part of the 7th Cavalry, into war. He believes in their training and he believes in their brotherhood. More than anything he believes in their need for his strong leadership, which he strives to provide. Things dont go well. Ironically his men are of the same regiment that fought along side Custer at his Last Stand. Here the men land in a jungle clearing called X-Ray that would soon become known as the valley of death as the US troops find themselves heavily outnumbered. Randall Wallace, who wrote Braveheart for Gibson, also directs here and you do get the odd Braveheart moment. But mostly this film is a tear jerking account of how men die or survive a battle of this extreme and (these days commonly) graphic nature. All these young men are somebodys son, brother, husband, father.

Refreshingly, though not in anything like true detail (nor would I expect if from Hollywood), we are made to see the enemy somewhat sympathetically too. The brave fighters of North Vietnam also die in slow motion.

Gibson leads the acting force as well. This teary-eyed performance doesnt seem to test his range. Greg Kinnear also stands out but the ensemble of the troop is as great. At home Madeline Stowe is Gibsons wife carrying the grim tidings of death to the families of the boys that have died in her husbands care. In this vision of war we study the responsibility of leadership amongst humanity at its rawest edge. And in doing so, we see that war is futile. Shakespeare told us that, and he wasnt the first. We were soldiers delivers the same answer without too much American jingoism and banner waving, but nor does it say anything remarkable. VAUGHAN SIVELL