Customer Reviews

Going Back

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Since the ending of the Vietnam War, two principal styles of feature films have been produced revolving about that baleful event, one that emphasises scenes of frantic combat activity, the second stressing off-center characterization of United States military personnel, most often encumbered with tiresome politicizing anent the evil actions of corrupted American servicemen in contrast with the apparently innate dignity and humanity manifested by Vietnamese people; within this grotesquely melodramatic piece is included the worst aspects of each, with triteness lavishly added for good measure. The film opens with a military reunion organised by cinema documentarian Kathleen Martin (Carrè Otis) who has assembled six veterans from a heavily depleted U. S. Marine Echo Company, bringing about their rendezvous held in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for the purpose of filming their impressions of erstwhile battlefields, and eventually to restage, if all agree, a controversial incident that had occurred during the war, later resulting in a court martial of the Company's leader, Captain Ramsey (Caspar Van Dien). The film wants narrative clarity, indeed even basic credibility, while plot execution is muddled; an altogether plodding and unpersuasive affair with wholesale utilisation of bromidic scenes, one even comprised of slow motion lovemaking by Van Dien and Otis. Stock footage of crowded streets in Ho Chi Minh City provide mild interest, while combat segments are largely effective, and editing is quite successful with flashbacks. However, the depiction of on-scene battle photography is unrealistically presented, and a droning score is of no assistance. It is best for this subject matter if it will be created by individuals who were there.