Unjustly derided or even ignored as American cinema finally recognised the horrors of the Vietnam war, Brian de Palma's humane drama about a true tale of kidnap and rape during the conflict is a worthwhile and compassionate drama. Michael J. Fox is a green new recruit in Vietnam, whose life is saved by his tough squad leader, Sean Penn. But Penn's brutal determination shows another face when he decides to kidnap a Vietnamese girl so that his men can have some 'R and R'. Despite his protests, a girl is indeed kidnapped and gang-raped; he tries to save her, but Pen succeeds in murdering her as well. It's tactfully handled and very well acted - ...  Read the complete review

*Warning: Spoilers* This comes from an article I wrote for my blog, www.beelzebubsbroker.blogspot.com, entitled "Convince a Little Man: Peer Pressure in Film Drama": Perhaps the film that most characterizes the effect of evil peer pressure is the Brian De Palmer directed "Casualties of War", which was also based on a real incident. The film tells the story of a squad of American soldiers serving in Vietnam whose much-deserved leave time is cut short when they are re-deployed to a native village suspected of being sympathetic towards the Vietcong. The squad's mentally unhinged sergeant, angered by losing his leave time and also ...  Read the complete review

Casualties of War is a film which focuses on events in the Vietnam War. It also happens to be a film that is based on true-life events, as with all films like this it has to be dramatised for effect, the basic story line is still there. Starring Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn the plot revolves around a platoon of the US army, who after their leader is injured are placed under the jurisdiction of Penn. The power Penn finds himself with leads to his actions. He believes he is able to get away with anything. When the Platoon kidnaps a Vietnamese girl from a village, Fox, a Private has to struggle with respecting authoritarian command, and doing what he sees as ...  Read the complete review

I must admit this was not a nice film to watch, no happy ending and lots of violence, rape and language. It stars Micheal J Fox and Sean Penn, micheal plays the new addition to a small platoon of soldiers, sean Penn plays his superior. The film starts with a raid on a village, one of the residents is accused of witholding information. Back to base the leader gets mad, he wants revenge, so he orders his platoon to go with him back to the village. They go and kidnap the villagers daughter, they tie her hands and take her. Micheal does not agree with what they are doing but cannot stop them. They go on a recce andtake the girl, who remains traumatised ...  Read the complete review