Casualties of War

Fails miserably as a comedy if that was what they were going for.

I've made no secret in the past of my admiration for De Palma and this film just reaffirms it. Like many of his early films, his approach remains compulsively sentimental, something that would've easily bothered me had the end result not felt wholly cinematic. Top notch direction, performances, and music from the sorely missed Morricone.

"De Palma uses his consummate filmmaking skill to craft a reflection of his own grave sorrow about the Vietnam era." - Eric Henderson

I always thought that_Platoon_was an over-the-top and balck-and-white depiction of Vietnam. I was corrected by watching this movie: Where_Platoon_hints at crucial points and things to think about for the audience, this movie isn't subtle in the least; too much of 'in-your-face' attitude. The characters are very stereotypical and I've seen better performances by Sean Penn.

The single great dramatic performance of Michael J. Fox's career. Strong script and an excellent supporting cast.

Michael J. Fox is solid, but I'm on the fence about Penn's performance.

Gripping, visually dynamic and perfectly rendered in the performances, this is an anti-war movie unlike any other I've seen.

One of the best Vietnam movies. It's more about moral than being at war but that's why it's different and better than ordinary war movies.

a very bad man, a psychopath, a retard, an intimidated man & an all American boy go on a road trip with a difference. I know this is based on a true story but find the characters unbelievable, the script poor & some of the acting bad (looking at you Mr Penn).

good movie

Most Vietnam movies do cash in on the suffering and violence, but they also tap right into the macho firefight badass gun-wielding -thing, as well. Casualties of War takes on a different approach and doesn't really shy away from showing the atrocities performed by the soldiers in this particular theatre of war. It is quite intense with some brilliant acting from the entire cast. I just felt that the end diluted the effect somewhat.

Story is interesting. Film is too by-the-numbers, and didn't have the feel of a war at all. Questionable casting.

Sean Penn is so unabashedly over-the-top that I don't know how anyone could not love him. Plus, John C. Reilly gets his start and Michael J. Fox gets his only great dramatic role. De Palma puts the horror of the story upfront and in your face, the way you'd expect him to. It's brutal and totally informed by De Palma's style of filmmaking.

74.875

I don't even consider this to really be a movie, it feels like an extended television show. This is a cheap derivative movie of Platoon and the acting is sub-par - with Sean Penn blazing the way with his terrible and frustrating performance. He brings the film down every time he's on the screen.

Powerful.

Goes on, and on, and on...

The script made It felt a bit like a TV movie at times, but the story is worth knowing.

The frat boy attitudes are grating, the emotional beats don't play quite right, and the dialogue induces eyerolls occasionally. This is subpar Reilly, and what the hell is Penn doing? That court scene is strange. The two brief bookends don't do anything for me. With all the problems that I have with the movie, it's not bad. The infuriating politics of the situation and Fox's internal conflict are pretty good.

It is easy to root for Michael J Fox. Hell, he just finished Back to the Future. He honestly makes the film because you can see yourself in his shoes.

ok

Decent story, but not as interesting as I thought it would be. Direction was average. De Palma had some trouble keeping my attention as I caught my mind wandering a few times. Also, while I'm a fan of Michael J. Fox and while I felt he gave an admirable effort, he just seemed out of his element here. An A+ performance from Sean Penn keeps this ship from completely sinking but also feels wasted.

Scary and bizarrely directed Vietnam story. Thoroughly watchable

Good film.

76.500

I think that DePalma is usually a master cinematographer, but a times a little cheesy, but aside from a few moments of charaters giving hgopeful stares to the clouds, Casualties of War is a very gripping war story. The script and acting are both top notch. Really good!

A Vietnam War movie starring Michael J. Fox seems like a curious artifact, but he's perfectly cast as a naive, idealistic greenhorn opposite his sadistic squad leader, played by an intense Sean Penn. Unlike most Vietnam films, CASUALTIES OF WAR presents an up-close-and-personal view of that conflict's horrors, showing how the cruel calculus of groupthink that prolonged the violence throughout Southeast Asia also destroyed individual lives.

An unflinching film about a real case of an atrocity committed by a squad of US soldiers in Vietnam and the one man(Michael j. Fox), the only one in the squad, who acted against the group and tries to stop the atrocity from occurring,when that fails, he seeks justice for crimes that his squad-mates committed and faces the indifference of the army and the wrath of his former squad. One of the better Vietnam War films out there and Michael J. Fox's best dramatic role.

Just yet another Vietnam movie, graced with an endlessly irritating performance by Sean Penn.

this movie is so awesome

Courageous but failed retelling of actual Vietnam War incident. Le is extraordinary as abused girl, but too much pseudo-philosophizing about guilt, innocence, and friendship bogs film down. Penn overacts wildly, while Fox is so weak as the squad's conscience that the result is like _Andy Hardy Goes To War_.

Made me quite uncomfortable, and not just in the way a war movie should.

yeah american soldiers aren t heroes this time

not another war movie.