"We were Soldiers"

[Bucky]

Great flick. If you haven't seen it, check it out.

[Dennis S.]

Can ya give the basic storyline/plot and maybe a short review of the movie? Would be much appreciated http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Bucky]

Mel Gibson is the starring character, he plays a Lt. Colonel in the US Army Air Cav.

The movie is set in the early days of the Vietnam war. It portrays a battle that took place in the Ia Drang valley, actually a rather famous battle.

You have to look past Mel's really poor Southern accent. Get past that and it is a tremendous movie about men under fire, even if it is a bit of a self-serving American flick.

True story, by the way http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Dennis S.]

Did you say Vietnam? Platoon happens to be my favorite movie of all times, so I'll probably jump on this one! Is it available on DVD/VHS?

[Bucky]

Yep, watching the DVD right now, in fact.

[Dennis S.]

Blockbuster, heere I come! Doh, it's closed after 12 in this area http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[Bucky]

IMO, this blows Platoon away. It really digs into the psyche of the unit, and to top it off, this isn't a fictional story. Although I am sure it was "Hollywooded" to some extent.

If you get the DVD, check out the extras, because there are some interviews with the people that were really there, and that is as interesting as the movie.

The thing that most impressed me was the way the movie allowed you to have a commander's view of the battle. Something that I have never seen in a movie before.

[Doug]

Bucky I'd have to disagree with you when you say it blows Platoon out of the water. I really don't think this movie is that great. It is good, yes, but brilliant, no. It has its moments of course, but it will never live up to the likes of Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Hamburger Hill.

The characters, to me, seemed a bit faceless. Much like Blackhawk Down.

[Bucky]

The characters were pretty much faceless, that is true. The focus on the movie was really the battle, as opposed to the Hollywood creations in the ilk of FMJ and AN.

You bring up a good point. If you liked Platoon because of the story elements you might be disappointed with it.

I guess the thing about this movie (and Blackhawk Down for that matter! ) that I appreciate so much is that at its heart, these movies are tributes to the people that were there.

[interman]

To be perfectly honest I didn't like this movie at all. Sure it brought some new things to endless line of Vietnam movies, but did you see the fight where the old angry army guy shot a gazillion enemies with his pistol, while standing! It was nice to see the director portraying the enemy soldiers as people too, but in my opinion there are many better war movies out..

Just my 2c http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Dennis S.]

Errr... So it wasn't realistic? http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif Good I didn't get to rent it yet http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[firefly]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Doug @ Nov. 30 2002,17:11)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The characters, to me, seemed a bit faceless. Much like Blackhawk Down.[/b][/quote]
I do love the dichotomy of this statement. War is fought by hundreds and thousands of people, each with their own "story". Yet when actually put into it, War itself Is faceless. You are not killing someone, you are killing a thing. Tell any normal human being to go out and shoot a person and they would look at you crazy and refuse.

My first mindless ramble of the day..... more to come...?...

[Bucky]

I have seen and heard a lot of complaints about the lack of character development in Blackhawk Down and We Were Soldiers.

What I think a lot of people miss, is that the star is not the people involved, but the battle itself, and you know everthing about the battle.

As for the Sergeant standing up in the midst of that situation....

There were many scenes where he was in the dirt with everyone else, and there was no "Rambo" action when he was standing up and shooting. He was firing at each target at damn near point blank range.

As a side note:
I used to be an avid paintball player (I&#39;m not going to even pretend that there is any similarity with that and combat&#33http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

I learned early on that being prone when you are close in with opposing players restricts your mobility far too much and leaves you as an easy target for someone just a bit to your left or right. I always got on my feet when the action got close in so that I had a quicker reaction time.

[firefly]

Hehe, I used to play paintball as well. Prone position is only good if you a)have someone covering your position b)enemy is in a bunker or other position from which he wont be moving. (prone does make you a smaller target, especially if you can use the terrain to your advantage, wrapping yourself around trees, etc.) c) are not engaged and are sneaking your way through an area with little vegetation. I have caught quite a few people in the back after they have passed by me. Ok, so when is everyone coming to the states for a Gamers Hell Paintball-a-thon? I miss playing paintball

[Bucky]

Man&#33; I miss playing that game. Still have all my gear (gun is a nicely set up Automag). All of my friends quit playing, and going solo to a walk on field is too much of a hit or miss day. Especially when you have to drive for an hour or more to get to the field.

Not to mention the cost of playing.

[firefly]

It isnt too bad here, i think it is about a 20-30 minute drive to the course, but the cost is a killer. Especially for the poor young&#39;uns like me. Pickup games are fun, bit usually you are right, it is hit or miss. I have teamed with some awesome guys, two of us pretty much took out the entire other team. then you have the Rambos who think they are a one man warrior, and can often get you killed as they dive into battle head first and bring the other team right down on your position and you gotta scrap your way out of it solo. I like battlefield strategy (thus why i love the Ranbow Six line of games).

/yawn
and now that my wonderful day is over..... instead of getting to sit down and enjoy my evening i get a call saying "oh btw, i know i told you last week we are having the birthday party for your grandmother and stepfather tonight, i know you have them presents....." My family bugs me. My P&M for the week...... Holidays/Celebrations and the annoying family. http://www.gamershell.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif