Rating: 
Summary: Skip the movie, READ THE BOOK!
Review: Loosely based on the book would still be a far stretch from the truth for this incredible piece of crap. Col. Moore leads the charge to drive the NVA out of their base and win the battle, where in the hell did they come up with this? The best you could call the first of the two battles detailed in the book is a draw as the NVA learn that slugging it out with the superior firepower of the U.S. forces is impractical. The second battle ( I wonder why they didn't include this one in the movie? ), can best be compared to the Little Bighorn. I repeat, if you want to learn something about the american experience in Vietnam, READ THE BOOK, don't waste your time on this drivel.
Rating: 
Summary: The other side of war
Review: There have been many entertaining films made that are set in the background of the Vietnam War. This one was much different than any others that I've seen. This film is a look behind the men who fought in a war that many didn't, and still don't, understand.This film wasn't about the politics of the war, nor about anything else that was controversial about that time. It was about men going to war because their country ordered them to. It is easy to forget that from our comfortable chairs watching TV. Lt. Col Moore, in the film, was a man who cared about his men like they were family. This was a man who defined leadership. He led his men from the front. He cared about his own draftees more than he cared about the Generals who ordered them to war. What was unique about the film was that it showed more than the soldier's points of view. It showed the lives of the spouses back in America, some of whom were widowed. It showed the uniqueness of many of the men who fought in Vietnam at that time. from the battle-hardened Basil Plumley to the Joe Galloway's who never wanted to fight. I was not in Vietnam so I don't know what is accurate and what isn't. This film gave me insight into the mind of Harold Moore. I will be reading his book about this same story so I can get his own words. Many see this film as American propaganda. I see this film as yet another point of view of a war that my generatioin may never understand.
Rating:
Summary: True to the facts, but only half the battle
Review: The DVD "We Were Soldiers" remains generally true to the book,
"We Were Soldiers Once...And Young," by LTG Hal G Moore and Joe
Galloway. I was in the pipeline for SEA when that fight occurred
on my birthday. I knew some of the participants, one boy from
Big Spring,TX (KIA) and Galloway himself (from Refugio/Woodsboro,
TX). The truth of the movie is in the combat. The fight at LZ
X-Ray was brutal, near over-run, meet-your-enemy-without-mercy
combat. Each side was feeling out the other for strategic information, and each side learned how to fight the other, as would be proven over and over again for the next decade. The scenes of the red dirt at Fort Benning is true. The air mobile
concept is accurate, and the dedication and professionalism of
our Army early in the war is valid. All this would change over
time, at least in American perceptions, but Hal Moore and his
1/7th Cavalry was superb at LZ X-Ray. It is ironic that we learned how to fight the enemy early in the war, and then took
a hiatus from it until the war was lost. The enemy learned and
maintained his dedication, knowing ahead what the cost would be.
But on November 14, 1965, a battle was fought that ought be remembered. Hal Moore won his fight, but his was only the first
half. We lost the second half, which is not included on this
DVD. My estimation of this movie is that it fits easily into the
top five war movies of all time, which is some tall company: Patton, 12 O'Clock High, Saving Private Ryan, for example.
Rating:
Summary: Mel Gibson in excellent role
Review: We Were Soldiers is one of the best movies on the Vietnam War I have seen. It is an antidote to such cynical perspectives as Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now. Those were all very well made films, but obviously colored by the various directors' politics in general and disdain for the Vietnam War in particular.
Nobody longs for war (except if you're crazy), but We Were Soldiers displays how men of integrity and with a natural patriotism will fight and die for their country. Based on the true story of the first battle between American soldiers and North Vietnamese troops in 1965, We Were Soldiers is useful in showing the very early stages of the war. We are given a bigger scope of the conflict in the opening segment which shows how the French were finally driven out of Indo-China in the '50s.
During the Cold War, the United States felt an obligation to fight against the spread of Communism and prevent the Domino Effect of South East Asian countries falling one by one to Communist control. So with the French gone, America made a stand in Vietnam, probably with the right motivations, but in a war that was to prove too costly in terms of lives lost and loss of national resolve back home.
But in this first battle, we get the feeling the war could have had a very different ending. An American air cavalry regiment under the command of Col. Hal Moore (brilliantly portrayed by Mel Gibson) is dropped off in enemy territory with orders to hold their ground. The North Vietnamese have the advantage of numbers, knowing the land, and with the high ground position. They come in waves against the American troops, but are fought back each time. These battle scenes are exceedingly well shot. You can feel the bloody shock of the close combat. At one point, a civilian war correspondent is unable to be an observer anymore and takes up a rifle alongside the soldiers.
The days of conflict are interlaced with scenes of the military wives back home, particularly Col. Moore's wife (the luminous Madeleine Stowe), as she takes on the burden of telling other women on the base when their husbands have been killed in action. These are deeply moving scenes. I applaud this movie for being able to incorporate the effects of war on loved ones back home in such a personal, non-political way.
We Were Soldiers also takes the courageous path of not refraining from showing Col. Moore's very real faith. He was a devout Catholic, and we see him in conversations and prayer with his family and a junior officer (Chris Klein, in a very pleasing understated role). Moore cares deeply about his men, a stark contrast to the self-absorbed, cowardly or mentally unhinged portrayals of officers we see in other Vietnam movies.
Likewise, the North Vietnamese soldiers are not caricatures. We see glimpses of them as human beings with loved ones too, and with an earnest conviction on the part of their commanding officer that their cause is just and that they will prevail.
I recommend seeing this movie together with A Bright Shining Lie, which could possibly be understood as an anti-war film, but which was valuable for its documentary type scope of the entire duration of the war, showing how incredibly short-sighted strategy, growing cynicism and even a senior military commander's personal life can shape the outcome of a war.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding War Film
Review: "We Were Soldiers" is possibly one of the finest war movies to date. It combines 3 elements that set it apart from many other war films: it details the lives of the families of soldier's in war, it shows the incredible resiliance of soldiers in the battlefield, and it convays the power of the sacrfice made for this country in a very realistic manner. I am a Chaplain Assistant in the 1st Calvary Division, the same unit of which is found in this film. Being very familiar with my unit's decorated history, I found this film's accuracy and honesty refreshing. I think that more people should be shown this film, in the hopes that they can see how great the struggle of war is: it destroys countries, friends, families, and people. And yet the American soldier has always stood strong, defending his country, protecting his comrades, returning loyally to his family, and honoring those who die in battle. The movie pays great testament to what we fight for. Please, watch this movie, and remember the American soldier. Your prayers and support is what helps us remember what we are fighting for out on the battlefield. Great movie, a must see! God bless America!!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I just finished viewing this film, alone. All these years later my wife cannot watch them. She spent too many praying that her husband would be sent over. Her prayers were answered. To those experts who say that the combat was impossible to believe, the enemy would not come out in the open and fight in the fashion shown in the film, I trust that Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore would not let Hollywood get too far out of line in their dramatizations. I also remember that in 1965 the North Viet Namese army was as arrogant and overconfident in their estimation of the American's as warriors as Robert McNamara was of the NVA. This film captured the emotions and the horror of war as well as any I have seen. It tells a story that could not be forgotten because it was never told. The story of a commander leading troops into battle with courage and conviction. The story of men serving their country with valor and distinction. Want to know why we lost that one? Notice the civilian who was more worried about "keeping this under wraps" when the battle was going the wrong way. The rear echelon command that was ready to send them in without proper enemy estimates and then ready to pull them out without any thought to their men's exposure to enemy assault while trying to board helicopters. This movie captures what went wrong. The troops in action won and the command withdrew - all on the advice of civilian Think Tank pundits. This movie depicts the horror and heroism of the conflict. I mourn for the families of the men were lost and honor their courage.
Rating: 
Summary: the women in this movie drag it down
Review: the women in this story drag the story but theres still some great action scenes in here with Mel Gibson(Braveheart and Signs) leading the men to victory...sometimes silly but all in all its an ok view..other cast includes Marc Blucas(Tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Pleasantville), Dylan Walsh(Blood Work, Congo), Ryan Hurst(Remember The Titans), Madeline Stowe(Unlawful Entry, Impostor), Barry Pepper(Knockaround Guys, 25th Hour), Chris Klein(Election, Say It Isnt So), Keri Russell(Tv's Felicity), Sam Elliott(Road House, The Hulk), Greg Kinnear(Auto Focus, Dear God), Desmond Harrington(Ghost Ship2002, Wrong Turn), Don Doung(Green Dragon), Keith Szarabajka(Tv's Angel), Mike White(School Of Rock), and Clark Gregg(The Last Time I Committed Suicide, The Usual Suspects)
Rating:
Summary: Thanks for including the families!
Review: This is the first war movie that I have seen that has included the soldiers' support systems - their families. It was refreshing to see that it is not just those on the battlefield being affected, but also those back home. Though, I don't want to downplay the war portions of this movie because they were also fantastically done!
Rating: 
Summary: Once it gets in gear, it doesnt go out
Review: In this Vietnam war epic staring Mel Gibson, we are thrown into the very first confrontation between U.S and Korean soldiers. This is of course the famous "vally of death" battle. Mel Gibson's character, Col. Hal Moore (not a ficticious character) leads his men into battle knowing that the Koreans are waiting for them. When you reach this part of the film, it gets good. However, the first part of the movie, consisting of Gibson training his new crop of men, and spending time with his family, is more fluff than anything. The hour long plus exposistion is what brings this movie down. Want to show that Gibson is a family man? Ok, but dont show it for near an hour. Nearly all of this time is needless (although not terrible), with the exception of a memorable speech by Gibson, where he states that: "dead, or alive, we will all come home together" However, if the hour long, quintessentially 60s exposition was shortened, this movie would be very close to Private Ryan (my favorite war film). The battle starts, and it doesnt end untill the movie does. In it, we get to see some of the most brutal footage ever captured, even compared to Saving Private Ryan. The scene in which napalm is dropped too late and torches a few American soldiers comes to mind; I may never get that image out of my head. That effect was too extreme for even my taste. The battle is wonderfully shot, however. We get more character developement in these scenes then we do in the lengthy beginning. See this movie before you buy it, because it is not for everyone. Some may be chased off by the extreme violence, others by the long first part. I however, liked the movie quite a bit, and consider it to be a good modern war movie.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding War Film
Review: "We Were Soldiers" manages to show the brotherhood between soldiers, the horror of war, and the commaraderie between the soldier's wives. The film is set in 1965, when America was at war with Vietnam. The commander of the air calvary is Lt. Col. Hal Moore ( Mel Gibson). Moore is a natural born leader and treats all of his soldiers like they were his own family. He is assigned to take his troops into hostile territory, to gain the upper hand. However, things do not go as planned, and the casualties start to mount. Back at home, Moore's wife Julia (Madeline Stowe) takes on the responsibility of keeping morale high for the soldiers' wives and handing out the death letters that are sent. The film is shot brilliantly and takes us back and forth between the two, to let us truly experience what happened. "We Were Soldiers" is one of the best war films that I have seen in quite some time. The film is based on Lt. Col. Hal Moore's book "We Were Soldiers Once.. and Young". This provides for an amazingly accurate portrayal of the events that took place. The battle sequences are among the best that I have ever seen, and the camera work used was phenomenal(especially in the air). The musical score used was beautiful and one of the best that I have ever heard. But perhaps the best aspect of this film, was that it showed that there was more than one side to the war. Most war films only show American soldiers fighting and trying to win the war. This was the first war film, that took an in depth look at the Colonel of the Vietnamese army, and how he strategized. That was my favorite aspect of the film, because it put Colonel against Colonel. But it did not just show each sides strategies. The film also shows what both sides went through as well. We see that Vietnam was a country fighting to defend itself just like us, and like us, they also suffered. This gives the film a more well rounded feel to it. "We Were Soldiers" offers tons of star power as well. Mel Gibson shows once again why he is one of the best actors alive today. His portrayal of Lt. Col. Hal Moore is sensational. He gives an extremely accurate portrayal of the man, with his overall intelligence, his courage under fire, and his unending loyalty towards his troops. "I will leave no man behind...dead or alive. We will all come home together." Definately one of Gibson's best roles since Braveheart. Madeline Stowe is outstanding as Moore's wife Julie. The way that she keeps morale high with the soldier's wives is amazing. Very convincing role. Sam Elliot is very good as Sergeant Major Basil Plumley. Plumley is Gibson's right hand man, and never leaves his side. He is also very tough, and corageous under fire. Other fine performances were given by Greg Kinnear, Chris Kline, Keri Russel, and Barry Pepper. Overall, this is one of the best all around war films that I have ever seen. The film is extremely realistic, takes an in depth look at both sides of the war, and has outstanding acting all the way around. The DVD is outstanding. It offers extremely nice picture and sound quality, that only makes watching the film even better. The extras are incredible. You get 10 deleted scenes, a behind the scenes featurette, and commentary by director Randall Wallace. You will not be dissapointed with this film, and I consider it a must own.
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