ciberpelu-1
It's the first time I have ever reviewed a film here on IMDb, or anywhere else, for that matter... I don't consider myself a critic, or expert or anything; just like cinema in general and war movies in particular.But this movie made me write here for the first time, out of indignation. I'm writing this as the end credits roll.I'll be concise:Bad acting, worse directing, pathetic soundtrack, clichéd, repetitive and utterly unrealistic.As other reviewer has said here before, this is probably the worst war film ever. I would go further and say is probably the worst FILM ever.Do yourself a favor and just watch any other film.
oldskibum2
Just watched this again after several years, and frankly, there isn't much I can add to the many reviews already posted except to agree: SOFG is one of the very best films produced on the Viet Nam war. It heads the very, very short list of films that I recommend to people who ask what's the best film about that war. (It joins WE WERE SOLDIERS and THE ODD ANGRY SHOT at the top.) I speak as a former Marine Tet Vet (got my own Purple Heart at Hill 34). The writing is (mostly) spot on and the production crew clearly paid attention when the military advisors spoke. Lee Ermey, bless him, delivers his usual almost-over-the-top performance without even acting. Hauser is almost as good, and manages to avoid the overacting so common among civilian actors doing war films. It almost seems petty to pick on the few technical errors: Ermey at one point refers to himself as being on a LRRP mission (the Army's recon team) when he's Marine Recon, and the magazines on the M-16 rifles seem to hold thousands of rounds...no one ever seems to need to reload. It's NOT being picky to point out two of the most glaring errors: The VC did NOT shoot their way into the US Embassy and start killing secretaries and staff; nineteen sappers broke into the embassy compound and all were killed outside on the grounds. And the Tet Offensive came as a complete surprise only to the news media. But SOFG does manage to stay away from the clichés and sermons that Hollywood seems determined to deliver in its films about the Viet Nam War, and that's what makes it so watchable. It's a just darned good action film.
HumanoidOfFlesh
The action centers around the Tet offensive of 1968."The Siege of Firebase Gloria" explores the relationship between Sergeant Major Hafner (R. Lee Ermey)and his protégé Cpl. Di Nardo(Wings Hauser),two members of a Marine Recon squad.The movie opens with a visit to An Lap village,where all inhabitants have been killed and beheaded by the Vietcong.After some fighting the Recon team is transported by helicopter to "Firebase Gloria",which is completely unprepared for the siege of Vietcong that will follow."The Siege of Firebase Gloria" is a fairly realistic war movie with lots of shooting and some harrowing scenes of bloodshed.The acting is great,the characters are heroic and well-developed and the action almost never lets up.8 bullets out of 10.
blacksnake-2
This is one of the better VN war movies from the "eye level" of small unit tactics, except for some small hiccups, such as a machine gunner not taking cover in a firefight("Private Ryan" was much worse on this aspect). I could not, however, help being irritated by the traditional Army vs. USMC rivalry being put out in this film as USMC Superiority (Something Ermy did not protest against I'd reckon). This is insulting to the Army specs units such as Rangers and Green Berets. It is a stupid argument, as the functions of each are essentially different, Marines are Sea/Land force insertion specialists, Rangers are Recon and Commando Raiders, Green Berets are Teachers and advisor's. The same anti Army mythology was used in "Boys in Company C", which Ermy was in also BTW. (I'm better situated than most to comment on this, as I was a Marine Reserve before I went on active duty in the Army back in 72' I have insight into both services and the atmosphere of those times). That being said, it should be noted that there was a lot of dope use and undisciplined behavior in many of the large troop units (draftee) back then, as reflected in the larger culture of the day.(Look up Operation Red Snow, the NVA's use of heroin as a weapon in VN) I would say this is to Nam' films what "Pork Chop Hill" was to Korean War films...
AD
