We Were Soldiers

When my dad left for Vietnam back in 1970, I remember fearing that I'd never see him again and imagined a life growing up without a father and his influence. This was one of the unseen parts of war that some movies of this genre either miss or touch on too lightly. As a war consultant stated in one of this DVD's documentaries, the goal with We Were Soldiers was to "get it right." While the closeness and quickness (but not the effectiveness) of air cover might have been unrealistic, the movie makers here more than likely met their goals with this one. Mel Gibson plays a good ole boy as Lt. Col. Hal Moore, who grimly exercises honorable leadership over his men. As my imagination dove in and became absorbed by this story, I was impressed by the heroism and bravery these marines exhibited as they faced fear and a formidable enemy. Like its recent predecessors (Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down), the action is intense and captivating. The underlying theme — that these men were soldiers (as well as) fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons — was deftly portrayed via jumping scenes between battle and back home, and makes the movie gripping for more than just the war/action movie buff. Well done. [Paramount / Doug Van Pelt]

Ratings:
Obscenities 32
Graphic Violence 30
Nude Scenes 0
% spiritual relevancy 95

This DVD review was printed in ISSUE 98 of HM Magazine.

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