Diagonaldi Very well executed

TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Senteur As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Leofwine_draca American war movies were ten a penny in the 1980s and this low budget addition to the genre doesn't really achieve all that much. It was made by Aaron Norris - his only film not to feature his brother Chuck - and put out by Cannon Films, but it's one of their less entertaining products. Michael Dudikoff is the restrained hero, a young lieutenant striving to win the respect of his men, but for an action star he gets very little to do, physically. The emphasis is on his acting which really isn't all that special. The plot is cliched and predictable and the action scenes are anything but exciting; this is one of those films that's content to go through the motions rather than offering up anything decent in terms of entertainment.

lost-in-limbo After making his directorial debut with his brother Chuck Norris with "Braddock: Missing in Action III" (1988), his follow-up would be another Vietnam War feature with Cannon productions starring Michael Dudikoff. The man with the poker face. All jokes aside. Norris' presentation might feel like a poor man's version of Stone's "Platoon", but it turned out to be a very solid nitty gritty portrayal of a war that was hard for the soldiers to come to grips with (nothing but pure propaganda). The performances are acceptably creditable (Robert F Lyons, Michael DeLorenzo, Brian Libby and William Smith chew it up in a major role) and a convincing Dudikoff actually brought across some emotional weight to the part. The script really does illustrate the dramas along with the horror in some arresting scenes ("What do you say to a girl with her arm shot off?") --- especially the transformation of Dudikoff's character throughout his duty, where at the beginning he was naïve to how things work but after an incident that sees him hospitalized he returns an improved soldier, better equipped for the experience and from this starts to gain respect. Comradely is formed. Norris' direction moves at a fast clip, if quite clichéd (cue in the patriotic sounding score) but the impulsive action is competently staged and fairly exciting in its tension fuelled fire-fights with glorious slow-motion and graphic violence. Pockets here, pockets there which leads up to the big explosive assault ala "Platoon" style. Filmed in South Africa, Norris gets a real earthy and humid authenticity which has you also caught in the thick of it. Despite the low-budget it's reasonably well-presented.

roadkillproductions We,of Road Kill Productions really like this movie. The effects are very good and the acting is good as well. This movie was made two years after Platoon was made and we must admit this movie is very dramatic and very striking in some scenes. We still think Platoon is better if course, but if you are a fan of platoon or any other War related flick. Odds are you might enjoy this movie.

davideo-2 STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsBefore he went on to direct brother Chuck in the tremendously exciting action sequel Delta Force 2,Aaron Norris fools the potential punter with this totally unengaging and thoroughly cliched account of the true story of the 173rd ''Airborne'' Brigade in Vietnam,despite most of the action taking place in the jungles of South East Asia.No disrespect to the American GIs forced to participate in this no doubt barbaric sector of the Vietnam war,but it makes for rather tepid screen viewing,and the noticably charisma stripped Michael Dudikoff headbilling the show only adds to the unrelenquishing tedium.*