Uncommon Valor

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Uncommon Valor-480P

Uncommon Valor-360P

Uncommon Valor-720P

Uncommon Valor-480P

Uncommon Valor-360P

I know these types of films sell tickets and make a profit for the film makers but it just won't do as a film about Vietnam. Viet Nam was filled with horrors for the men who lived it day in and day out. This film stars Gene Hackman who is Korean war vet assigned to train a group of rag-tag Viet Nam Vets for a return trip to that country to rescue a group of American POW's held at a camp there. These men include a former tunnel rat, a crazy acid dropping sailor, a blond tanned surfer from California and some inexperienced kid (Patrick Swayze) who just so happens had a dad that was killed in Nam. They train first at some camp in Texas and once in Nam they are found out and lose all their weapons. They are able to find replacement weapons and continue on their way to free the captured men. Most of the men are found and saved but the rag-tag group is mostly wiped out. This movie played like a video game in which you could figure out what was going to happen next and who would pop out of behind what bush, and who was going to die and who was going to live. Viet Nam I'm guessing was not like a video game....

Always enjoy Gene Hackman,(Col. Cal Rhodes), who portrayed a retired Marine Col., who was bound and determined to find his son and rescue other Vietnam captives for over ten long years missing in action. Cal Rhodes got tired of trying his Congressmen for their assistance and decided to get together some of his old devoted Marine buddies to come to his aid. There was lots of hard work to obtain Helicopters (UH-1H), weapons and men determined to help their fellow vets once again. Robert Stack appears in the film and is able to furnish financial support with his ability to secure vehicles. There is a so called young Marine who tries to assist the Marine Vets and is given a hard time, which is rather interesting. There is lots of action and a wonderful film about our fantastic Vets of the Vietnam War. However, this is a sad film which gives some horrible details concerning the torture our Brave Men had to endure.

I went into this supposed trash 'Nam actioner with low expectations and had a pleasant surprise. It's actually one of the better Vietnam films out there, simply because it combines both and drama evenly without an over-reliance on either aspect. Colonel Rhodes (Gene Hackman, A BRIDGE TOO FAR) recruits a band of Vietnam veterans to head back to Vietnam and rescue POWs. The team includes memory-plagued Wilkes (Fred Ward), young hotshot Blaster (Reb Brown, STRIKE COMMANDO), rough-'n-tumble Sailor (Randal "Tex" Cobb, THE DIRTY DOZEN: DEADLY MISSION), decent guy Johnson (Harold Sylvester), and aging Charts (Tim Thomerson, ZONE TROOPERS). Joining up at the last minute is new recruit Scott (Patrick Swayze, RED DAWN) The film is pretty well-paced, dedicating the first 30 minutes to the recruitment of the men. Each on establishes their unique character as Hackman recruits them. Some jump on immediately; others don't want to return to Vietnam because of haunting memories, but do the decent thing in the end. There are some pretty efficient training scenes, and then it's off to Laos for the explosive finale. The high point of the film is the climactic POW rescue, which involves a well-planned raid on a huge prisoner compound. Complete with lots of gunfire, explosions, shouting and one especially good bridge destruction shot, this tense scene will keep you on the edge of your seat. Instead of completely relying on guys getting shot for impact, though, there's also a few men who sacrifice themselves for their fellow soldiers - even though it's no longer their duty. There's plenty of comedy, supplied by "Tex" Cobb as a slow-witted, incredibly strong oaf who participates in some good sight gags. I also liked the part in which the men get their weapons confiscated, so they must purchase a crate of dusty, WWII-era weapons to use. The most powerful scene is when Hackman heads to recruit Fred Ward, who is at first unwilling to go back to Vietnam. His wife looks and acts the part of a troubled veteran's spouse perfectly as she tells of how she had to live through hell as her husband suffered nightmares and the like. Ward makes an impact throughout as he sleeps outside rather than in the barracks with the men. Why? It turns out he was trapped inside an NVA tunnel in the dark. He felt two bodies and knifed them. It turned out they were a mother and child. And even after he realized it, his men couldn't pull him out for hours because they were under fire. The way Reb Brown recounts the story made my jaw drop. Hackman also delivers the good. I forgot to mention that he is so passionate about the mission because his son is one of the POWs. The grief is evident on his face as he runs throughout the burning camp finding other POWs - but not his son - as time runs out. This film made me realize just how tough it was on families and comrades in arms to lose a son, father or husand in action. Overall, a solid, well-directed, excellently acted and plenty entertaining helping of action and drama.

This movie is not the "true Vietnam" experience. For that, see only 2 films: Apocalypse Now and Hamburger Hill. All the rest are baloney, or worse. (OK, it's now 2008 and I'm editing this to include We Were Soldiers as another great Vietnam movie. It captivated me utterly and took me back, as did Apocalypse Now. When it was over I was unable to move from my seat until after the cleaning crew had finished.) Uncommon Valor, however, is still a great Vietnam movie for all to see. It's uneven as hell, so you have to be flexible. I suggest you have fun with the goofball stuff, appreciate the combat bonding stuff, gloss over the obligatory linkage stuff. Watch closely as each Vietnam veteran is recruited and introduced, and learn. Then enjoy what you will of the characters and the actors who bring them to life. (I mostly loved them.) I was an Infantryman in Vietnam. This movie is the only Vietnam movie, the only one, that ever brought tears to my eyes. I was amazed at the power of its ending. It was overwhelming to me. When it comes right down to it, take this movie seriously.