Though the anti-war sentiments of Hamburger Hill come through loud and clear, the film is squarely on the side of those courageous, much-maligned Americans who fought and died in Vietnam. Based on a true incident, the story takes place in 1969, as the 101st Airborne Division confronts the Vietcong in a bloody battle over Hill 937 (aka "Hamburger Hill") in the A Shau Valley. During the next ten days, both sides incur heavy losses, but the Cong refuse to surrender the hill. The ultimate American
"victory" turns out to be a hollow one indeed. Scripted by Vietnam War vet Jim Carabatsos, Hamburger Hill not only underlines the futility of the war but also the pressures brought to bear upon the troops by an insensitive, often hostile media. By utilizing a cast of unknowns, director John Irvin deftly avoids the Hollywoodized slickness of such bigger-budgeted efforts as Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Irvin, who shot a documentary in Vietnam in 1969, the year the action takes place, makes fine use of the Philippines locations and the verisimilitude supplied by the production team.
Although it was underrated at the time of its release, time will eventually reveal that Hamburger Hill is one of the best and most realistic films made about the Vietnam War.
The most remarkable traits of this realistically detailed chronicle of a crucial, bloody Vietnam War combat is that it steers clear of Stallone's right-wing machismo in Rambo and of Oliver Stone's metaphorical meanings (good versus evil) in Platoon.
Vietnam has been done a lot better than this. Tha acting and writing for this movie was horrible and made for some pretty lousy characters. Platoon, Apocalypse Now, and Full Metal Jacket all had great acting and writing and that's why they stand high above this movie in effectiveness. Don Cheadle has a role in this
movie and thank God for that. Although he has a smaller role than others in the movie, he clearly has the only good acting in this movie. It's realistic, but frankly I could care less because of the characters.
June 30, 2011
Melvin White
Super Reviewer
So awful. Goes on the list of bad war movies along with thin red line and tears of the sun. It tried so hard to have a moving message that I couldn't stand to watch. Ernie Hudson's presence is the only redeming part.
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