Based on true events.
During the Vietnam War, five American soldiers are sent on patrol. The unit commander (Sean Penn) is committed on taking a detour to a village to kidnap a girl, forcing her to accompany them and later inciting his colleagues to carry out inhumane acts. Only one (Michael J. Fox) opposes, but fails to prevent and save the girl from abuse and death. Back at the military camp, he reports what happened to his superiors so that justice can be done for the war crime.
Not his usual style of film, director Brian De Palma outdone himself (congrats!), achieving a harrowing drama and some well-made combat scenes. The performances are excellent, even if certain stereotypes can be observed: we have the maniacal leader (Sean Penn), the equally maniacal follower (Don Harvey), the dumb and brute too dumb and brute to know that he is dumb and brute (John C. Reilly), the inexperienced newcomer who wants to impose himself but doesn't do it just to fit in the group - which makes him a coward - (John Leguizamo), and the personification of the moral virtues (Michael J. Fox). In any case, this dynamic works, because in reality, more or less, to a greater or lesser extent, all groups have this type of elements. But the best performance is, without a shadow of a doubt, that of the Vietnamese girl (Thuy Thu Le), in her only and unforgettable appearance in a movie.
It's neither entertainment nor fun, but a poignant drama that I recommend watching at least once.
During the Vietnam War, five American soldiers are sent on patrol. The unit commander (Sean Penn) is committed on taking a detour to a village to kidnap a girl, forcing her to accompany them and later inciting his colleagues to carry out inhumane acts. Only one (Michael J. Fox) opposes, but fails to prevent and save the girl from abuse and death. Back at the military camp, he reports what happened to his superiors so that justice can be done for the war crime.
Not his usual style of film, director Brian De Palma outdone himself (congrats!), achieving a harrowing drama and some well-made combat scenes. The performances are excellent, even if certain stereotypes can be observed: we have the maniacal leader (Sean Penn), the equally maniacal follower (Don Harvey), the dumb and brute too dumb and brute to know that he is dumb and brute (John C. Reilly), the inexperienced newcomer who wants to impose himself but doesn't do it just to fit in the group - which makes him a coward - (John Leguizamo), and the personification of the moral virtues (Michael J. Fox). In any case, this dynamic works, because in reality, more or less, to a greater or lesser extent, all groups have this type of elements. But the best performance is, without a shadow of a doubt, that of the Vietnamese girl (Thuy Thu Le), in her only and unforgettable appearance in a movie.
It's neither entertainment nor fun, but a poignant drama that I recommend watching at least once.