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Bill Paxton, Amy Madigan, Vivian Wu, Donal Logue, Eric Bogosian ... see more see more... , Kurtwood Smith , Robert Burke , James Rebhorn , Ed Lauter , Harve Presnell , Pichariva Narakbunchai , Les J.N. Mau , Kay Tong Lim

Adapted from Neil Sheehan's 1988 Pulitzer Prize-winning best-seller, this $14-million TV docudrama, re-creating the Vietnam War with convincing combat footage, was the most expensive two-hour movie ev... read more read more...er produced by HBO Pictures. Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann (Bill Paxton) spends ten years (1962-72) in Vietnam. When Vann exposes falsified casualty figures, deceptive battle reports, and other lies about the war, journalist Steven Burnett (Donal Logue) relays the truth to American newspapers, and Vann takes heat from higher-ups. Meanwhile, he's involved with a Vietnamese teacher (Vivian Wu), and his wife (Amy Madigan) is forced to lie so he won't be court-martialed for sexual relations with an underage Vietnamese girl. Back for a second tour, he gets another young Vietnamese woman pregnant and is forced to marry her. Returning in 1968 as a civilian, he's decorated and eventually promoted to general for his contributions during the Tet offensive. The music track features Grace Slick singing "Somebody to Love" while peasant villages are bombed. Filmed in Lompburi, Thailand. Premiered May 30, 1998 on HBO. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

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52% liked it

771 ratings

R, 2 hr.

Directed by: Terry George

Release Date: May 30, 1998

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DVD Release Date: January 5, 1999

Stats: 41 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (41)

  • itsjustme2004
    November 9, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    Interesting HBO movie based on the experiences of John Vann soldier, and military advisor, during the Vietnam conflict. A revealing story of cover-ups, and mistakes that are ultimately revealed about all wars. Decently done.
  • cacutshaw
    February 8, 2008
    cacutshaw
    I barely remember this one, but I liked it because Paxton was in it.
  • flixsterbum
    November 1, 2007
    flixsterbum
    Having read the other reviews of this movie, I guess I'd have to defer to those who read the book this is based on and those who actually served in Vietnam as to its historical accuracy. As to the movie itself, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Generally, even the best made-for... read more-cable movies fall just a bit flat, but this one didn't at all. More importantly, it opened my eyes to another perspective to the war that I've not seen in any other Vietnam film. For my generation, we only really know the war through movies, and generally that image is of the quagmire, of no one knowing what the hell was going on. This is the first that I'd seen where victory seemed attainable. More importantly, it stirred debate as to how the lessons learned in Vietnam apply to our current situation in the war on terror. The depiction of John Paul Vann was excellent. This was an imperfect man fighting an imperfect war. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to get a different perspective on the conflict.

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Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
July 24, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Eric Lurio
December 21, 2004
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette

No review available.

Dragan Antulov
May 11, 2004
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews

No review available.

MaryAnn Johanson
January 1, 2000
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher

Click to read the article Full Review

May 29, 2001
AV Club

No review available.

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