Casualties of War (1989)

People are voting emotionally.

As Good As It Gets

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Casualties of War (1989) ** 1/2 (out of 4)During the Vietnam War a solder, Eriksson (Michael J. Fox), goes out with a crew of four led by a rather psychotic Sgt. Meserve (Sean Penn). After the five are rejected on a leave Meserve kidnaps a Vietnemese woman who they plan on raping. Eriksson is against their action and soon finds himself at the four's wrath but things get even more heated once he plans to help press charges against them.Brian De Palma's CASUALTIES OF WAR was just one of many Vietnam movies from about an eleven year period where all sorts of them were coming out. COMING HOME and THE DEER HUNTER kicked things off and then you got stuff like APOLALYPSE NOW, PLATOON and Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET. De Palma has stated that he believes his film is among the best made but I'd argue that it's the least entertaining.There are all sorts of issues that I have with this film but the biggest is that De Palma just isn't working too well in the drama department. One of my issues with the film was the music score that is just over-bearing at times as it's often very loud as if they're trying to put certain emotions into the viewer. The track is just too intrusive and I'd argue that it does more damage than good as it pretty much beats the viewer over the head trying to get them to "feel" a certain way.Another problem I had with the picture was the performance by Fox. He gives a good performance but at the same time I just didn't believe him in the role and I didn't think he was strong enough to carry the picture. It's been said that him being cast is the only thing that got the movie made, which I believe but I just don't think he helped the movie. Penn is also quite good here, although I do think his character gets a bit too cartoonish at times. The supporting cast includes fine performances by Don Harvey, John Leguizamo, John C. Reilly, Ving Rhames and Dale Dye.De Palma certainly knows how to film a movie so the cinematography is top-notch and I'd argue that the rape sequence as well as the trial sequences in the Extended Version are well-done and tense. With that said, a lot of the movie just comes across as flat and that includes the battle sequences, which just aren't all that memorable. CASUALTIES OF WAR was made to show what horrors were in Vietnam but on the whole it isn't nearly as good as it thinks it is.

Apocalypse Now Redux is a close second, but has a weak ending, in my opinion. Casualties of War is expertly directed by DePalma. Penn and Fox give intense performances. Casualties' grip on the viewer increases step by stop and scene by scene. Each scene ends with a dilemma that "hooks" the audience and demands continued viewing. Each scene begins with either a resolution of the previous scene's hook, or begins with an oblique answer that leads into a direction not anticipated by some viewers. Like DePalma's best films Casualties is primarily a thriller. One doesn't need any political viewpoint to enjoy this film. The film works well on more than one level of reality, which is always an artistic accomplishment.

I am not usually a fan of War films, but this is not a typical War film.It's not a grand-scale action movie with big battle scenes. It's a low-key Vietnam War drama about the kidnapping, rape, and murder of a Vietnamese girl at the hands of a group of US soldiers.The film focuses on Michael J.Fox who plays Erikkson,a naïve soldier who has only been in Vietnam for three weeks. His Sergeant is played by Sean Penn,a tough,efficient soldier who is just about hanging onto his sanity amongst the chaos and destruction that's going on around him.Whilst relaxing in a village,Meserve's closest friend,and radio operator,Brownie,is shot,and later dies. This is the point where Merserve starts to lose it. And when he and the rest of his men are refused entry into a brothel,he decides to kidnap a local village girl and use her as their sex slave.Brian De Palma proves again what a masterful filmmaker he is,in scene after scene,shot after shot. The film is grim,and disturbing in many parts,but his style and cinematography is so good, it's difficult to look away from. This was a film that he'd been wanting to make for years,and you can tell when you watch the film that he was passionate about it,and wasn't just interested in showing sex,or violence for the sake of exploitation,or just to shock,which he has been accused of sometimes.For instance the rape sequence is brilliantly filmed. It goes without saying that rape scenes are always uncomfortable to watch, but the rape scene here is surprisingly the least graphic I've seen from a visual point of view. There's hardly any nudity,and there's no close-ups of the sex act. However, emotionally it is one of the most disturbing. Partly because there's such a long build up to it. As soon as the girl has been kidnapped, we know what her fate is going to be. Partly because it's a group of soldiers that are committing the act on her, and partly because De Palma films it in a way that puts the audience in Erikkson's place. While the rape goes on,he is helplessly on look out duty, and it's filmed from his point of view as he watches the soldiers from a distance in the hut, taking it in turns with the girl. We feel what Eriksson feels, horrified and angry. It's a disturbing yet stunning piece of filmmaking and Ennio Morricone's haunting music makes it even more effective. We don't see Erikkson again until the moment when Meserve approaches him,and then we finally get a close-up of his face. This is the moment where Erikkson has become demoralised.His face speaks volumes about what he's seen. The moment where the girl is killed is equally unsettling. Again, De Palma avoids sensational violence and shows the girl been stabbed in the distance behind Erikkson as he is taking out the Vietcong with his rifle and doesn't even notice what is going on behind him. The close-up of the girl been shot dead is shocking and filmed again from Erikkson's point of view, as he witnesses this tragedy whilst trying to prevent her death.The third and final section of the film focuses on Erikkson's attempts to bring his comrades to justice. This was a part of the film that I felt lacked something in the theatrical version but now thanks to the extended cut, I think it's just as powerful as the events leading up to it. There's only 6 minutes of extra footage but it adds to it. There's a scene where Erikkson is interrogated by two Military agents that was missing before. It's a great scene because it now explains how the investigation began after Erikkson's Captain and Lieutenant tried to dismiss it. Again, De Palma films the interview well with one long tracking shot.And the courtroom scene is brilliant too. While each of the four guilty soldiers are been prosecuted,we are not shown anybody else in the room,we just see each of the soldiers and hear the voices of the lawyers. It's also one of the most shocking moments because it's the moment when these criminals are shown in all their glory. Obviously you never forget that they are soldiers during the events leading up to their trial, but all through the kidnapping they are rough and dirty unshaven.Here they are clean and shaved, dressed in their formal uniform and wearing their medals but it doesn't change the fact that they are rapists and murderers. The extra scene here shows Erikkson been cross-examined. It further drives home the point that even though Erikkson didn't take part in the incident, he failed to save her, and he feels as guilty as if he did take part in it and it will ultimately haunt him for the rest of his life.Michael J.fox doesn't belong in a serious War film but he's perfectly cast here. His youthful looks work for the part of the innocent, naive young soldier ,and his short stature works for the "ordinary,everyday man" caught up in an unthinkable situation. His acting his outstanding throughout. He does have a few bits of clunky dialogue,but it's not his fault,it's the writer David Rabe who actually served in Vietnam, trying to get some moral points across. Fox handles it well. But it's mainly his subtlety I was impressed with throughout. His expressions speak volumes. I've never been a fan of Sean Penn. I've always found him to be an overrated,scenery-chewing actor and I still feel he's the same here. But I think it kind of works this time because of the extremes of the situation his character is in.This is a thought-provoking, powerful piece of cinema that shows the best and worst traits of human behaviour. It's a difficult film to watch at times but I've seen it many times because of the performances and film-making. It's a masterpiece.

It has been a while since I last saw this movie. I decided to watch once again and I got to say that I am still amazed by the quality on this movie regarding the actors (Michael J.Fox is tremendous is his role), the music, the scene, the realization, the plot...For the one who says that it is an anti war movie, that American soldiers were heroes... I will just add that as a book, an article in the newspaper, a song... the movie depicts a specific event which occurred in Vietnam, and sadly it is a realistically true and usual behavior from soldiers in period of war. For movies showing American soldiers as heroes I will just let you choose between the million of them.Great storyline, great movie. Still love it.