Nothing sticks out more than the opening sequence: The chopper extraction, all those men left behind. The view from the chopper as the handful left behind are captured. That has to be one of the most memorable scenes of any film I've seen.
I think this movie is terrific. A band of Vietnam vets organized and trained to rescue the POW's our government left behind. It's not a perfect film, in places it's just horribly directed. But the chemistry of these brothers in arms works well. The film is as humanistic as much as it is an action flick. The topicality is rooted in an emotionally charged, contemporary issue which still resonates to this day. What happened to all those MIAs? Why has the US government refused to find them? Well, the film isn't really about answering those difficult questions. But it also doesn't let you forget them, either.
There is nothing revolutionary here. This topic has been handled before by less than memorable flicks like Rambo, and Missing in Action. This is much better written and acted. Gene Hackman makes the film what it is; human. You can imagine this rescue mission as a dream come true for every father who received that MIA telegram from that military. But, for me, there are some very moving moments that just stick with you. "it's really good to see you." stutters one of the POWs on the chopper. You know, every time I see that shot, I get a little misty. Because I think he speaks for every man who finally made it back from that hell on earth we call the Vietnam War.
I think this movie is terrific. A band of Vietnam vets organized and trained to rescue the POW's our government left behind. It's not a perfect film, in places it's just horribly directed. But the chemistry of these brothers in arms works well. The film is as humanistic as much as it is an action flick. The topicality is rooted in an emotionally charged, contemporary issue which still resonates to this day. What happened to all those MIAs? Why has the US government refused to find them? Well, the film isn't really about answering those difficult questions. But it also doesn't let you forget them, either.
There is nothing revolutionary here. This topic has been handled before by less than memorable flicks like Rambo, and Missing in Action. This is much better written and acted. Gene Hackman makes the film what it is; human. You can imagine this rescue mission as a dream come true for every father who received that MIA telegram from that military. But, for me, there are some very moving moments that just stick with you. "it's really good to see you." stutters one of the POWs on the chopper. You know, every time I see that shot, I get a little misty. Because I think he speaks for every man who finally made it back from that hell on earth we call the Vietnam War.