We Were Soldiers is based on the book "We Were Soldiers Once... and
Young" that is written by real-life war hero Colonel Hal Moore and
journalist Joe Galloway who were involved the Battle of la Drang
during the turbulent Vietnam war.
The movie interpretation of the novel
pays true homage to the original book which starts similarly to that
of Saving Private Ryan as the viewer is thrown into a violent battle
as the Cavalry Division of the 2nd Battalion witnesses their first
glimpse of war in Vietnam. Unlike Saving Private Ryan, the film has
a more earthy feel to the story and is truly grounded in realism.
Mel Gibson portrays Colonel Hal Moore
in the film as the tough veteran soldier who befriends journalist
Joe Galloway played by Barry Pepper. Even though Galloway believed
that the pen was mightier than the sword, he stood and fought with
his Air Cavalry colleagues and gained the respect and understanding
of Moore. Not only is the film about war but also the relationships
it formed with many whom would never meet in the real world.
Director Randall Wallace does an
amazing job at recreating the battle scenes in the movie which are
extremely realistic and violent. Featuring suspense, action and
drama, We Were Soldiers is a visual masterpiece that is met with an
impeccable cast, especially Mel Gibson who fits the role perfectly
as does Barry Pepper as journalist Joe Galloway.
The quality of We Were Soldiers is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen
that has been flawlessly transferred to Blu-Ray and is pure eye
candy, especially the majestic cinematography of Vietnam. With
stunning audio quality, the overall transfer of We Were Soldiers is
perfect and will impress all anacondas of this format.
Featuring the exceptional commentary by
Director Randall Wallace who truly takes you beyond the movie with
his ideas and focus from the novel, add in a Making of Documentary
and the special features nicely rounds up this first class
presentation.
Special Features:
