Movie Review: We Were Soldiers We all like to take a time out and sit down with our loved ones, and watch a heart touching movie every once in a while. What we don't do is actually take time to really focus and understand completely what the point of the movie is or what it is trying to get across to the audience. I was able to take time and sit down, and enjoy and evaluate the movie, "We Were Soldiers." I was able to come to the conclusion that it is a very accurate movie, give or take a few facts. The quality of the cinematography is of great value. The film was indeed satisfying. The movie was released in 2002. It was one of the most seen movies of that year. It won the ASCAP award and was nominated for three different awards. To …show more content…
What is happening over there is that, North Vietnam is trying to take over South Vietnam. Upon arrival, it is immediate battle. When the Americans land on their soil, it is discovered it will be 30 minutes before another batch of soldiers can come to aid. The reason is, that is the time frame it takes for the helicopters to transport more soldiers to the battlefield. So the Americans have to hold their land for that long without support, and early there is a tragic loss. In this battle, America has 395 soldiers, these few are going up against 4000. After a long 3 day battle, the Americans effort results in pushing back the enemy to the top of the hill, furthermore, causing the Vietnamese to retreat. There are many lives lost, and this is just the beginning of the war. The movie is told by a soldier that was there, hence the title, "We Were Soldiers." If I had to compare the movie to another film in its category, there would be no comparison as to the excellence of this picture. In this film, war is portrayed in very heavy and gory detail. With an extreme level of gruesomeness, it probably has to be one of the most graphic movies I've ever gazed my sparkling brown eyes upon ;*) J L K For the most part this movie is very accurate with the timeline of events that occurred during that era of the war. The director , in his own words, "told it like it was," which makes it a better movie. In the long run I believe this
The rambunctious behavior of the soldier’s triumphant victory is a strong message visually for the viewer. These soldiers struggle to find their identity and once the war ends, the identity they’ve build at war vanishes, (McCutcheon, 2007). As a result, they essentially lose a part of them selves, (McCutcheon, 2007). When they return home, many soldiers struggle with psychological issues that prevent them from resuming their once regular lives, (McCutcheon, 2007). The images of soldiers celebrating at the end of war give the viewer a taste of this problem. This also allows the viewer insight to the deeper issues surrounding an American soldier’s mental stability and mentality. Through this image, along with many others throughout the film, the viewer is able to dig deeper and truly analyze what they are seeing.
As a result of this book, in 2002, a We were Soldiers, the movie was and the story was retold to a greater audience grossing over US 144 million worldwide. Reviews of the book versus movie illustrated some differences and although there was some artistic license taken when creating the movie, many Vietnam veterans claimed that they “got it right”.
There is one scene where the three flag raisers entered a crowded stadium before a football game which typified how an image of war can be so different to the reality of war. The flash photography, the cheering, the roar of the crowd all went to John Bradley’s head and he had flash backs of the fighting on Iwo Jima and the genuine heroes that he had left behind. This scene contrasts what the reality of war, were all the men are dug in and fighting for there life, and the images of war. Ira Hayes says “I know it’s a good thing, raising the money and that, ‘cause we need it. But, I can’t take them calling me a hero. All I did was try not to get shot. Some of the things I saw done, things I did, they weren’t things to be proud of, you know?” Clint Eastwood shows continuously, through his characters physiology shows how one single photo can be so different what really makes up the battle of Iwo Jima. The aim was to get war bonds; the minds of the three main characters through Clint Eastwood’s directing showed a strong insight to how the reality of a war and an image of war can be so contrasting.
I read the section about the battles that took place during WWII. It brought to my minds that in real life. There are more important things during a war than finding a private Ryan. War is a huge event and the little things like finding a person to keep the family name going is too small to include in war history. This is what separates the movies from the real life. Another difference is they don't show the actual planning it takes to start an attack or the inelegance that is needed to set up the perfect defense barrier to prevent the advancement of the enemy soldiers. A real battle can last days, weeks, months, or years, compared to movie war that lasts not even a day and has one guy or one platoon take on the entire other side. The casualties of real war is tremendous, rather than movies where you see almost the same characters in the whole movie accomplishing some of the most intense tasks with only one or two dying. Also, in movie war you don't see the other side's horror. You think all the opponents are bad horrible people that deserve to die, when they are just soldiers doing their job and the only reason we are fighting them is because of a bad leader or government. So in the movies every enemy deserves to die and should be shown no mercy, but the actual thing about that is that the enemy is just like any other soldier. And furthermore when the good guys lose a battle in a
This allowed Americans to witness the fighting on their home televisions. Many families would worry that they would see their son, brother, or father die on camera. In the film, Two Days in October, the soldiers experience some of the most intense fighting. A huge number of North Vietnamese troops ambushed two companies in the jungle. Both the companies experienced many causalities. Showing these images affected peoples’ thoughts of signing up for the war and even supporting the
It’s a known fact that that the Vietnam War was fought by young American soldiers that bled and died next to one another in the jungles of Vietnam. With many wins and loses throughout the war there were over 58,000 American casualties by wars end. The movie, “We Were Soldiers” focuses on the role of the United State’s 7th Calvary Regiment in the Battle of Ia Drang, which was the first large-unit battle of the Vietnam War. Lt. Col. Hal Moore commanded the 7th Calvary Regiment that landed a helicopter in an area named “X-Ray” located in the Ia Drang Valley of Vietnam. LT. Col. Moore found himself and his men defending an area no bigger than
On March 29 in 1973, the last American troops left Vietnam, leaving thousands of missing behind. The same day, a few hundreds of war prisoners were released in Hanoi. Within a couple of months, the war between the North and the South was restored and it was soon apparent that the communists are more unified and have a military dominance. In Cambodia and Laos, where the fights were not so strong, the communist victory also seemed unavoidable. In March 1975 the northern Vietnam commenced a complete military invasion in the South. Southern president Thieu asked Washington for help, but the democratic majority in the Congress refused and on March 30, the Americans could watch on TV how North-Vietnamese tanks enter Saigon, which was soon renamed to Ho-Chi-Min’s town. Scenes in American embassy in Saigon, where thousands of scared Vietnamese fought for places on board of last American helicopters were a sad ending of the biggest American foreign policy catastrophe.
The film showed me a lot about the horrors of the war. It was a very hard and long war.
It also seemed that the film did not do a great job of portraying the deplorable conditions of the veteran’s hospitals. Sure they showed some of the crude parts, but for the amount of the book that was dedicated to exposing what was going on in the VA hospitals the film did not seem to express it.
We Were Soldiers Once and Young is a history book written by LT. GEN. Harold G. Moore (RET.) and Joseph L. Galloway. The history book is based on the Vietnam War, which took place in 1965. The Battle of Ia Drang was said that it was the battle that changed the war in Vietnam. The book is a tribute to all the soldiers in the war and for their great braveness, love, and care for one another. It was a bloody war, but very inspiring to read about the courageous soldiers who put their lives on the line for the United States of America.
I think that this film gave me a much better understanding of the historical period. This was a huge time for all of America. Everybody was worried and scared that these men might not make it back. I think it was a wakeup call to all of America that we aren’t invincible and that going to space is a very dangerous thing to do. The film made me want to learn more about this
on the Omaha beach at the date and time of the war. The Longest Day
The 450 men of Colonel Hal Moore's battalion soon learned they landed in the midst of over 2000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Within an hour, Lt. Colonel Moore's men were faced with numerous grueling tasks. Surrounded by the North Vietnamese, the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry maintained control of the perimeter so that the Huey helicopters could fly in the remainder of the battalion. The enduring battle continued for three days leaving over 305 American soldiers and dead.
LTC Moore was the commander of the First Battalion of the Seventh Cavalry, that was the first to engage the enemy in a major conflict. The book does an excellent job illustrating his steadfast courage under fire, and sound use of tactics. Which can be easily argued as one of the key reasons why this engagement is called a battle and not a massacre of U.S. soldiers. Moore constantly anticipated the enemy commander's moves. He concentrated his limited man power, artillery, and air support; exactly where the enemy would attack. As stated before, Joseph Galloway is the co-writer of this book and was the only reporter on the scene during the battle. He literally begged his way onto a helicopter that was doing a return trip to drop off ammunition and other supplies. While there, he not only took some amazing combat photographs, which are illustrated in the book, but also helped tend to the wounded and even picked up a rifle to help hold the line. Moore and Galloway collaborated to write a passionate novel in gripping detail as only people who have witnessed war and their friends dying in front of them could. They have even gone through the trouble of contacting the
While watching this film you may find yourself experiencing some of the same emotions as the characters in the film this allows you to be in the movie letting you be a part of an important event in our history. This is what makes the film so unique. Its full of different scenarios that keep you wondering what is going to happen next. I think that this film is a very close representation of what WWII was really like.