kypioneer

This is the story of the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam-- a 3-day battle at LZ (landing zone) X-Ray in which a little over 400 American soldiers faced 2000 of the men of the Army of North Vietnam and eked out a narrow victory. Terrible lessons were learned from this battle: the North Vietnamese learned that they could stand up to superior American firepower (helicopters, M-16s, artillery), and the Americans learned that one American with same could kill a significantly larger number of the enemy. This led to the "meat-grinder" theory of the war which caused so many American casualties, and an even greater number of Vietnamese deaths.

Basing his movie very firmly on Gen. Hal Moore's and Joe Galloway's book "We Were Soldiers Once and Young," Randall Wallace has produced what I think is the very finest movie on the Vietnam War ever. In fact, I think it is even superior to the much ballyhooed Private Ryan. The battle scenes are intense, relentless-- and these are balanced by looks back at the homefront where the wives left behind at Fort Benning are having to cope with the loss of their men. There is a lot seen from the perspective of the North Vietnamese as well. This is very unusual and quite refreshing in a war picture.

All the performances are good-- no exceptions. Sam Elliot's Sgt. Major Plumley is a gruff delight as he plays the ultimate career soldier. Barry Pepper turns in a strong performance as the journalist Joe Galloway. As for Mel Gibson-- well, this may be the best performance he has ever given. Subtly underplaying his role as (then) Lt. Colonel Hal Moore, he still embodies leadership and experience, devotion to home, duty and his men. And at the end of the battle it is through his eyes that you experience all the pain the loss of so many of his men has brought him.

Tom and Mae Garvey (Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek) are the owners of a small eastern Tennessee farm that has been in the Garvey family for generations. It is the early 1980s, when the staggering U.S. economy threatens the welfare of the American family farm. The Garveys' struggles are compounded by the fact that their property is in a flood plain, and by the enmity of Tom's rival Joe Wade (Scott Glenn), who is a wealthy and powerful foe. This is not lighthearted entertainment.

For me, the film's most powerful moments come when cash-strapped Tom has to leave the farm to find work elsewhere. He unknowingly becomes a scab in a factory where the regular labor force is on strike. At least there is a regular paycheck, but the contrast between the man-made hell of a iron foundry/steel mill and the natural beauty of the family farm is compelling, and you can see why the Garveys struggle to hold on to their agricultural way of life, however hard it is. The cinematography for this movie is way above average, a celebration of rural America.

Sissy Spacek delivers her usual fine performance. Mel Gibson is very good-- his Tennessee accent quite convincing. The two youngsters who play their children deserve special praise for their natural performances. This is a good, thoughtful movie-- not romantic, thrilling or exciting-- but one the family can watch together and think what sacrifices they would make to keep a heritage and a way of life preserved.

I would like to begin this review by lodging a complaint against Mr. William Shakespeare. The man was a joke. His works were not historically accurate. Hamlet-- not historically accurate. MacBeth-- not historically accurate. Richard III-- uh uh, no way.

Let's face it-- despite the fact that Braveheart is a better movie than any filmed Shakespeare (outside of Kurosawa)-- it is not historically accurate, either, and if that is the sole standard by which you judge movies then you are going to be sadly disappointed in it. If, on the other hand, you appreciate good characters, heart-lifting drama, and exciting battle sequences, then you should be thrilled with Braveheart. Each to his own taste.

Personally, I think Mel Gibson stands in pretty good company with Shakespeare.