I was really enjoying this film up until the end. The story was simple and easy to follow. The acting was really, really good. There were a lot of big names in this and Zoe Weizenbaum makes a great debut. Too bad we don't get to see more of this talented young actress after just a few films.
Where the movie failed for me was the ending. While I understand and often even applaud movies with a sad ending, I don't think that this one needed it. However, I'll accept that they felt one of the main characters needed to die in order to get to where they needed it to go. What I don't like however was how this character was killed off. It felt rushed and not well thought out.
I shall clarify; The girl sets off a booby trap, but it hurts someone else. She goes to get help and when help arrives she runs off foolishly and sets off *another* booby trap. Then she dies and the other person dies as well. It just seems kind of pointless and ham-fisted.
Well, maybe the deaths were supposed to be pointless. Maybe that was the message seeing as the overall theme about the movie was how the aftereffects of a long, brutal and bloody war like Vietnam can mess people up both physically and mentally for the rest of their lives. So I can accept that. Just not the double booby trap. If they needed her to die, they should have found a different way to do it.
Where the movie failed for me was the ending. While I understand and often even applaud movies with a sad ending, I don't think that this one needed it. However, I'll accept that they felt one of the main characters needed to die in order to get to where they needed it to go. What I don't like however was how this character was killed off. It felt rushed and not well thought out.
I shall clarify; The girl sets off a booby trap, but it hurts someone else. She goes to get help and when help arrives she runs off foolishly and sets off *another* booby trap. Then she dies and the other person dies as well. It just seems kind of pointless and ham-fisted.
Well, maybe the deaths were supposed to be pointless. Maybe that was the message seeing as the overall theme about the movie was how the aftereffects of a long, brutal and bloody war like Vietnam can mess people up both physically and mentally for the rest of their lives. So I can accept that. Just not the double booby trap. If they needed her to die, they should have found a different way to do it.