Rating: 
Summary: A Must See
Review: This is a fantastic movie. This release is long overdue. This movie has alot of suspense and keeps you wondering how it will end. Also, could this REALLY happen????
Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting, Entertaining Film For A Rainy Sat. Afternoon
Review: This is a good film to watch when you can't go outside, when you've got the time for some popcorn and an entertaining, otherwise meaningless action flick. Most interesting is the manner in which this small military unit fell apart, after getting lost in a Louisiana swamp and riling some of the local backwoodsmen. The sergeant in charge kept spouting training-manual platitudes ("lay down suppressing fire" etc), while every subordinate squad member developed his own ideas for surviving. Suspend your disbelief, and just watch it only for fun. (P.S. I've met some of the indigent folks portrayed in this film, and there's no way in real life they could ever be so functional or sober.)
Rating:
Summary: Little known, but fascinating psychological drama!
Review: This is a raw, surprising psychological adventure in which a group of weekend Army reservists deteriorates in terms of their organization, discipline, friendships, and trust in one another. It's like an adult Lord of the Flies!!
Rating:
Summary: Weekend Discomfort
Review: This is a relatively short film (105 minutes) which is tightly organized and brilliantly directed by Walter Hill who co-authored the screenplay with producer David Giler. It focuses on nine members of the Louisiana National Guard who, during a field training session in 1973, find themselves in armed conflict with swamp residents whom the "weekend warriors" have provoked. Almost immediately, it becomes obvious that the Guardsmen lack the leadership, experience, and weapons they need so they begin an escape journey through totally unfamiliar and naturally perilous territory, pursued by the wily and hostile Cajuns. In certain respects, the swamp becomes the main character. The Guardsmen's fear is intensified by the fact that their maps are useless. They have no idea where they are, much less in which direction to proceed. As they slog along, they are picked off one at a time. Eventually....The acting is generally first-rate. Powers Boothe (Hardin) and Fred Ward (Reece) are especially noteworthy, with Boothe portraying someone who is solid, sensible, practical, and mature in sharp contrast to Ward's character whose attitude and behavior suggest a potentially dangerous psychosis. Keith Carradine (Spencer) is less impressive, perhaps because his character throughout much of the film seems so laid-back, indifferent, almost aloof. Peter Coyote (Poole) makes a brief but memorable appearance. Others in the cast are OK. Special mention should be made of Ry Cooder's musical score which is most impressive when integrated with festive activities in a Cajun village. The tone of the celebration is juxtaposed in stunning contrast with the terror which has consumed the reservists. Frankly, I am unable to explain why, when I inquire, so few of my countless "film buff" friends have even heard of this film, much less seen it. Those who then act on my strong recommendation and see it tell me later how much they enjoyed it. Veterans of the Viet Nam War indicate that it reminds them of their own experiences with the Viet Cong. Some of the veterans compare this film with Platoon. See it and judge for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Suspense and tension galore in this swamp thriller
Review: This is one of those flicks where even though you may know what's gonna happen, it still has your belly all wound up real tight with tension, simply because you just don't know when or how it's gonna happen. It's a very formulaic movie with the stereotypical characters, yet that is quickly overlooked as the director does a nice job with the element of surprise and realism. The movie is essentially about a bunch of wanna-be National Guards sent out on a routine weekend mission in the swamps of Louisiana, only to find themselves at war with some mean locals. When water appears where land should be, the troop has no choice but to borrow some unattended boats belonging to some Cajun locals. Of course, things go awry when the troop member, plagued with idiocy, shoots a round of blanks at the locals for sheer fun. Things heat up real fast as the wanna-be guards begin the fight for survival in an unknown territory with only blanks. Some scenes get you so riled up, you'll be at the edge of your seat shouting "what the . . . !" Unfortunately, the captain and another member sometimes come across as poor actors, but depending on how you see it, that could be explained as an approach to portray realistic men who just don't know what the heck they're doing. Afterall, from the beginning, the Sergeant pleads with them to act like real soldiers for once in their life. The film seems to work best as a "survival of the fittest" story instead of a macho-type, action-packed war movie. The eerie swamp certainly contributes to many nerve-racking moments. Slightly puzzling ending, but still a relatively good film. Certainly above standard.
Rating:
Summary: SUSPENCE AND A HOG KILLIN'
Review: THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOVIES THAT A PERSON NEVER THINKS OF WATCHING BUT ONCE THEY DO IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHY YOU NEVER DID BEFORE. I REMEMBER THIS FLICK COMING OUT WAY BACK WHEN, AND ALWAYS INTENDED TO WATCH IT IN THE THEATER BUT NEVER DID FOR SOME REASON. THE PURCHASE OF A DVD PLAYER AND THE DVD ITSELF FIXED THAT. ALL I CAN SAY IS IF A PERSON WOULD LIKE TO VIEW A DOWN AND DIRTY MOVIE WITH SUSPENCE AND KILLING THIS IS THE ONE.FROM THE BEGINNING POWERS BOOTH AND DAVID CARRIDINE PLAY THE HEAVIES AND THEIR PERFORMANCE COMPLIMENTS EACH OTHER.THIS MOVIE WORKS WITHOUT HIGH TECH SPECIAL EFFECTS, IT JUST PLAYS ON A GOOD STORY AND MAKES YOU FEEL IT.I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO SUMMARIZE THIS FLICK IS TO SAY THIS FILM COMES OFF AS VERY BELIEVEABLE.IN MANY WAYS THIS FILM IS DELIVERANCE IN THE BAYOU AND IT WORKS.IT'S DOWN AND DIRTY WITH AN AUTHENTIC HOG SLAUGHTER AT THE END TO TIE IN WITH THE CLIMACTIC ENDING SHOWDOWN. THIS MOVIE IS WELL WORTH WATCHING.
Rating:
Summary: Very believable, very unique story
Review: This movie is great because it doesn't follow any standard formula. It is filmed on location and is visually pleasing. The glimpse of life deep in the swamp it reveals is compelling. It is spooky.
Rating:
Summary: All good stories have a moral
Review: This one happens to be don't mess with Cajuns. A bickering national guard unit is stranded without a leader to speak of in the southern swamps. The stage is set for just a good old fashion action romp. So leave your intellgence behind and get ready for an action flick--Carradine style.
Rating:
Summary: Superb And Thoughtful Action Movie!
Review: This tautly-told tale of the explosive mix of subcultures under extreme conditions is a gem seldom discussed in movie circles, but is indeed a near-cult favorite of Vietnam vets who recognize the allegorical message of its gritty and ironic twists of plot associated with the casual and almost nonchalant attitudes of several Louisiana National Guard reservists off on a weekend military exercise during the early 1970s in the foreboding and eerie bayou country. Famed action director Walter Hill wastes little time in setting the dilemma into motion, and by disobeying orders and "improvising" a way across a large river by "borrowing" some Cajun moon-shiners' boats, the squad soon finds itself engaged in escalating misunderstanding and quite plausible sequences of violence, murder, and mayhem. For anyone ever in the military of that era, it is a profoundly accurate depiction of just how easily disorganized, untrained, and undisciplined troops who are poorly indoctrinated and even more poorly led can find itself disastrously out of control under circumstances they can no longer positively influence. Moreover, left to their own devices,and slowly decimated through casualties inflicted by their erstwile opponents, they unnecessarily and fatefully add to their own predicament by taking action that makes their predicament much worse. They also find, to their horror, that relatively untrained civilians with guns and attitude can be formidable opponents. The stealth, familiarity with the terrain, and downright viciousness employed by the local Cajun moon-shiners makes this a captivating study in how slender are the threads that binds us together in a large and pluralistic society such as ours. Speaking of terrain, the way in which Hill uses the topography and atmosphere of the swamps and savannas of the bayou make it an essential and unpredictable aspect to their efforts to extricate themselves from this background of madness. In what is perhaps the best-delivered performance of his many-faceted career, Powers Boothe provides a rational coda to the irrational aggression swirling around him as Hardin, a white collared and college educated trooper who has only recently joined the unit, and whose efforts to corral the others that he characterizes as rednecks, into a more cohesive fighting force finally work to their advantage. Fred Ward is also excellent here, as is Keith Carradine, Peter Coyote, and Alan Autry, who later gained fame as the resident stud-muffin southern boy featured in the TV series version of "Heat Of The Night". Also an essential ingredient in delivering a movie with a knockout punch is Ry Cooder's haunting score, which provides a wonderful mix of southern twang and Cajun chords in accompanying this extremely well told tale. For anyone interested in an allegorical approach to our Vietnam troubles told interestingly and provocatively, I can highly recommend the movie, and am glad it is finally out in DVD. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Southern Comfort
Review: Very intense movie. Lots of language, but you won't mind if you've seen Bad Santa. Definitely not a movie to be watching with the kiddies around. Graphic violence. And when these guys get mad they let the expletives fly.
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