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List Price: $12.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 812
Released: August 20, 2002 |
| Our Price: $4.48 |
| Used Price: $2.30 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Exploration of the courage, valor and loyalty among an elite American combat division that is sent to battle in Southern Vietnam.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 8-AUG-2006
Media Type: DVD
Description of We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition):
Based on the book by Lt. Col. Harold Moore (ret.) and journalist Joseph Galloway, We Were Soldiers offers a dignified reminder that the Vietnam War yielded its own crop of American heroes. Departing from Hollywood's typically cynical treatment of the war, writer-director Randall Wallace focuses on the first engagement of American soldiers with the North Vietnamese enemy in November 1965. Moore (played with colorful nuance by Mel Gibson) and nearly 400 inexperienced troopers from the U.S. Air Cavalry were surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army soldiers, and the film re-creates this brutal firefight with graphic authenticity, while telling the parallel story of grieving army wives back home. While UPI reporter Galloway (Barry Pepper) risks his life to chronicle the battle, Wallace offers a balanced (though somewhat fictionalized) perspective while eliciting laudable performances from an excellent cast. Like the best World War II dramas of the 1940s, We Were Soldiers pays tribute to brave men while avoiding the pitfalls of propaganda. --Jeff Shannon
We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition) Reviews:
An Excellent War Movie 
2008-09-07 - One of the finest, gripping and compelling war movie ever (also Tora Tora Tora, The Longest Day and Sands of Iwo Jima). Think what you want about Mel Gibson, however, this cast is remarkable and believable in the midst of the most incredible and horrific of battle. Note to chicks: unless you get the horror of war and the nature of the soldier, you probably won't like this film. I have seen it three times and I still am in awe of the suffering and heroism of those who served.
VERY GOOD! 
2008-08-21 - BASED ON TRUE EVENTS IT REALLY BRINGS TOO LIGHT WHAT SOME HAVE SACRAFICED FOR THIS COUNTRY!
MEL GIBBSONS BEST PERFORMANCE SINCE BRAVE HEART.
Vietnam
2008-08-07 - Based on the book written by Gen. Moore, I thought is was well acted, with great special effects. Furthermore I think it pays tribute to the soldiers, and there families, who had to fight that war. It follows the the book closely, and I am told that it is historically accurate.
A Great Film Demonstrating Enormous Resolve of Our Troops
2008-08-06 - This film is very intense, realistic and superbly shot. The production values are incredible. As a slice of life from the Vietnam era, the film captures the esprit de corps of the troops, the strength of the soldier's wives as well as the challenge of a new era in warfare. Mel Gibson is excellent. His sargeant, Sam Elliott, was a superb characterization of a tough sargeant who went through all three major parachute jumps in World War II. He is a no nonsense warrior.
All the more powerful is the portrayal of Gibson's faith in light of duty, courage and devotion to his men. Greg Kinnear did an excellent job as a challenged pilot creating a new Air-Cav warfare in the early days of Vietnam. His copilot "Too Tall" received the Congressional Medal of Honor decades ago. Kinnear's character finally received his CMH in the last year - long overdue.
Powerful. Memorable. Realistic.
One of the Best War Films
2008-06-25 - "We Were Soldiers" is an exceptional war film. It may be the best war film I've seen apart from the Civil War masterpiece "Glory." The battle scenes are intense and brutal to watch. The naphalm scene is especially horrific though I assume very realistic. Mel Gibson does a fine job as Col. Moore and Sam Elliot is superb as a tough seargent. The scenes of families at home and the arrival of messages telling of the death of loved ones were well used to illustrate the wider impact of war. In fact, it was the combination of war scenes and more personal scenes which put it over "Saving Private Ryan" (if only barely) in my mind. Parents should be advised that this is not a film for children. There is a considerable amount of violence and some pretty harsh language as well (I know that the cursing is realistic but I felt it personally detracted from both this and "Saving Private Ryan"). Anyway, I would recommend this film though I advise it is graphic.
On a side note, the film only covers part of the battle in the Ia Drang Valley. The film was also judged to be mostly historically accurate by a commentator on a History Channel "History vs. Hollywood" show though there were inaccuracies such as the final charge.
