This film doesn't quite shift up a gear into 'war classic' category as the audience don't really feel any emotional connection when people start getting killed. The film holds the interest whilst you watch and it's fairly entertaining but there's a bit too much comedy for my liking and some of the characters are irritating. For example, Ricardo Montalban (Roderigues) keeps shouting all the time - he should keep quiet in a war situation with the enemy all around. What a douche-bag! The Texas boy, Jerome Courtland (Abner) uses corny language and repeatedly sings a corny song– he's obviously been told to play a stereo-typical country simpleton. There is also not enough action given that the film is 2 hours long.
There are some nice looking scenes in the foggy forests and the film should have used this to better effect as we are encouraged to wait for the mist to clear to see what is going on. It does happen but it could have happened on more occasions to crank up the tension.
Characters go through changes and by the end of the film, the fresh faced wise-cracking troops are dishevelled. There is some man-to man combat as 3 of the troop go on a scouting mission and it is nicely directed as all violent killings are carried out just outside of our vision, so the film scores for good direction during this part.
Strangely, I find that the memory of this film is better than the experience of actually watching it. Maybe it's worth a second viewing.
There are some nice looking scenes in the foggy forests and the film should have used this to better effect as we are encouraged to wait for the mist to clear to see what is going on. It does happen but it could have happened on more occasions to crank up the tension.
Characters go through changes and by the end of the film, the fresh faced wise-cracking troops are dishevelled. There is some man-to man combat as 3 of the troop go on a scouting mission and it is nicely directed as all violent killings are carried out just outside of our vision, so the film scores for good direction during this part.
Strangely, I find that the memory of this film is better than the experience of actually watching it. Maybe it's worth a second viewing.