GO TELL THE SPARTANS (3 outta 5 stars)
Not a bad movie... depicting the early days of the conflict in Vietnam and how it affected the American troops... but there are so many other *better* movies about that particular war that this one seems kind of lackluster in comparison. Still, it provides a nice, more modern role for screen icon Burt Lancaster (it is quite a shock to hear him liberally spouting profanity) and I've always liked Craig Wasson, who plays the new addition to Lancaster's group of battle-weary soldiers. Wasson is the green kid, still full of good intentions and the desire to win the hearts and minds of the people who actually have to live in that war-torn country... but over the course of the movie his altruism is put through the wringer. Lancaster has a great monologue about why he never became a general... which is probably the highlight of the movie. Other than the language, the movie kind of has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie from the period... there is little of the style or flair that seems to enliven most other 'Nam movies... but it does get the job done. War movie buffs will love this... if you hate war movies... you might want to pass.
Not a bad movie... depicting the early days of the conflict in Vietnam and how it affected the American troops... but there are so many other *better* movies about that particular war that this one seems kind of lackluster in comparison. Still, it provides a nice, more modern role for screen icon Burt Lancaster (it is quite a shock to hear him liberally spouting profanity) and I've always liked Craig Wasson, who plays the new addition to Lancaster's group of battle-weary soldiers. Wasson is the green kid, still full of good intentions and the desire to win the hearts and minds of the people who actually have to live in that war-torn country... but over the course of the movie his altruism is put through the wringer. Lancaster has a great monologue about why he never became a general... which is probably the highlight of the movie. Other than the language, the movie kind of has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie from the period... there is little of the style or flair that seems to enliven most other 'Nam movies... but it does get the job done. War movie buffs will love this... if you hate war movies... you might want to pass.