Casualties of War

Rating:
Summary: A Movie That Must Be Seen
Review: Director Brian DePalma explained during the excellent "Marking Of" feature that he had wanted to make this film for nearly two decades. Why do so many truly great stories take soooooo long to reach the screen? Is it because studio executives believe everything must be dummy-downed or that American audiences can't bear to watch a real horror story like "Casualties of War"?

And this is a truly gut-wrenching story. You don't just watch this movie, turn the "off" switch and that's it. This story stays with you. It should.

"Casualties of War" depicts, painfully and directly, the dehumanizing nature of war. Yet, through Michael J. Fox's character (Eriksson), we see that even under these extreme circumstances, the most courageous people cling to their humanity. They don't completely resign from the human race.

Personally, I consider this film far superior to any other made about the Vietnam war -- better than the much overrated "Platoon" and even "Apocalypse Now."

For "Casualties of War" puts a very real human face on its story. While much has been said about Sean Penn's menacing and Michael J. Fox's tormented performances -- both are excellent -- I won't soon forget Thuy Thu Le, the actress who portrayed the innocent girl raped and butchered.

I'm flabbergasted that one critic called this film "unbearable" because the victim was given so little to say and was so passive. Just how aggressive was this tiny "girl" supposed to be when confronted by an armed squad? She spoke but no one could understand her. They didn't care what she had to say. She wasn't human to them. And that's the whole point.

What will haunt me when I recall this movie is the expressions on Thuy Thu Le's face. Horrified. Frighted. Confused. Innocent.

Her performance, indeed, makes "Casualties of War" unbearable, from her screams as she's taken in the black of night, to her wide-eyed fear as she quakes when Michael J. Fox cleans her wounds. Thuy Thu Le's performances makes you wince.

I commend De Palma for not flinching. He didn't try to soften the blows. He wanted us to be disturbed by what we witness.

We care desperately for this girl. We want her to be saved. We want someone to do the right thing.

And we know she is doomed.

I'm surprised some studio huncho didn't say, "The hell with the true story. We can't make a movie in which the girl isn't saved."

In the end, we as an audience are faced with the painful fact Eriksson must live with -- that she could have and should have been saved, but wasn't. Eriksson realized, even in war, that there is still a line between right and wrong. He had the courage not to cross it, yet he will be forever guilt-strickened by his failure to stop the others who did.

"Casualties of War" is a masterpiece, and as I look at it again with fresh eyes on DVD, I'm still amazed it did not receive more acclaim. With so much junk being put on film today, we need to recognize art -- even "gritty, hard-to-look-at" art -- such as "Casualities of War."

Rating:
Summary: A Fox and a Penn
Review: I enjoy Michael and Sean in many movies. I was delighted with their performance in Casualties. I enjoy most movies about that war, because I was there. A lot of the stuff depicted in all the movies about Nam is hollywood imagination, but a good lot of it is true. The theme of this movie is right on the money about some of the stuff that went on there. There is so much that has not been told yet, and probably won't be. There is a limit to what even Hollywood can present on film.

Rating:
Summary: Gripping
Review: I first saw this film in 1997. I saw it again quite recently and it still had the same effect on me as it did three years ago. I like it. It is electric, gripping and you sympathise with both the lead characters on several occasions. I do like Michael J. Fox as an actor and, although he is usually a comedy actor, he is not out of place here as Private First Class Erickson. I can't seem to find it here in England, but when I do, I will probably buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Flawed...but worth the watch
Review: I give credit to De Palma, because I doubt anyone could do a movie based on the same material any better. I don't know how fast the film was made, but the visuals seem to suggest to me that it was thrown quickly together. The actors are all believable, but not even Fox is all that likable. Penn is good as always, and Fox makes you sympathize for him. But there is something about this film that is missing,it's not as effective as it could've been. Ving Rhames does well, watch for him in a smaller role as Fox's commanding officer.

Rating:
Summary: Good movie, but not a classic
Review: I just bought the DVD because it was on sale and had not watched the movie in years. It is an okay movie. The drama between the men in the squad is great, but the movie just feels like it is trying to live up to Platoon. I wish the movie had more action then it did, but the main objective of the movie is to be dramatic, not action based. If you want to watch a movie about the grime and unseen actions that take place in war, I reccommend you rent this. If not, don't bother.

Rating:
Summary: The Rest of the Story
Review: I know the soldier on whom the character of Sven was based, and the incident portrayed in the movie impacted his life in a major way. Due to death threats from the comrades he turned in for their crimes, he and his wife decided not to have children. At the time, they felt that the risk to their own lives and any family they might start were too great. Fortunately, nothing ever came of the threats, even after the rapists/murderers got out of prison. But this gentle, compassionate, loving couple was kept from having a family due to the shadow on their lives.

American servicemen are just as guilty of such atrocities today. We've already seen stories of how they rape their own female comrades in Iraq and Afghanistan. No wonder the people whose countries we occupy hate the "Ugly Americans."

Rating:
Summary: War
Review: I think that stories like this happenes in the time of War .
The only think is that we did not enjoy this moivie is that
you can tell that Penn is acting especially during that rape
scene where his face get all blushed . Michael on the other
hand I think that was great . But with that title De Palma could
have invented a much better movie . But in the end I think that
its great and that one should give it a try

Rating:
Summary: Even better on DVD
Review: I've always liked the stylishness of DePalma's movies (even when they are relatively empty exercises: Body Double, Dressed to Kill). I have always thought of Casualties of War as a very well-made adaptation of his singular style with a wrenchingly emotional story. I saw it several times in the theater, owned it on VHS, and was anxious to see it again in DVD widescreen.

I was kicked in the teeth. The emotional elements of the story resonate throughout the movie, working better because of DePalma's technique. Watching such a sad story made me feel odd for thinking it is a beautiful movie but it really is beautiful. Everyone in the movie, in his or her own way, is a casualty of war.

The DVD has some worthy extras (in addition to a striking presentation of the movie itself): a present-day interview with Michael J. Fox about his involvement in the movie; a present-day making-of documentary with extensive interviews with Brian DePalma and Art Linson (producer); and some brief deleted scenes.

I strongly recommend this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Disturbing and Engrossing
Review: If you can ignore the stale acting by Michael J. Fox - and that's not that hard - you'll discover a terrifically powerful and wrenching Vietnam drama. More personal then most, and one of the few to offer up a believably rounded portrait of the Vietnamese. And, of course, Sean Penn is riveting. Directed by Brian DePalma, the movie has a graphic, pictorial forcefulness that recalls his work in "The Untouchables." Not a hit when it was released, but well worth seeking out.

Rating:
Summary: The most brutal...
Review: If you wanna watch this film you beter think about it first. It has lots of violence and disturbing scenes wich may not be suitable for younger viewrs.I can say that clearly,my mom hates this film because of the strong rape scenes and the high profanity in this film.Well i like this film because of the war,but if you want action packed don't buy this one,it lacks of good action. Another thing it might be boring watching this movie twice.