HTF REVIEW: "We Were Soldiers" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Ron,
I agree with your comments about the video presentation.




Crawdaddy

 

[Scott Simonian]

Im sorry Robert. :frowning:

 

[Leon Liew]

When the Vietnam War was on I was only in my teens. I used
to follow it's developement thru news report and TV coverage.The likes of Khe Sanh's siege,Tet offensive in 1968
etc etc really etched in my mind. The heroism & courage was
unsurpassed.Hence my love for real war movies.
That's the reason I collect DVDs like SPR,Patton,Pearl Harbor,Tora Tora Tora,Battle of Midway and
Vietnam The Ten Thousand Day War documentary series. No doubt the above are movies but it depicts real life stories.
So 'We were Soldiers' is a must add to my collection

 

[YANG]

RON,
I agree with you view on the transfer.The grainy part during the housewives chitchat session does look grainy if viewed on larger display.I think it was originated from the film negative...or so...

LEON,
This movie is a must add to your library.Currently,only one retailer carries the stock.Selling at a hefty price tag of $50(standard price for PARAMOUNT regular releases),other stores will probably put it up a week later...if you can wait.
Anyway,what i got is a U.S release with english only artwork.Most other retailers might go for the CANADIAN release with crappy artwork with dual language.

 

[Ron-P]

How does this compare to Black Hawk Down as far as action/gore?
Peace Out~

 

[Bill_D]

Add this to your collection.

OK. Sounds like my kind of movie.

 

[Malcolm R]

How does this compare to Black Hawk Down as far as action/gore?

I'd say more gore as the battle scenes are bloodier, but probably a bit less overall action as there is an actual storyline and character development that interrupts the action once in a while. BHD was more video game than film since it was continuous shoot-em-up from start to finish. But WWS does have a lot of action sequences.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Ron-P

This movie compares very well to BHD for action and gore and probably was bloodier. I liked it better because it had a story line and characters plus the action/gore. I say get it Ron or at least rent it. I think you'll like it and it should have very good sound.


"..there is an actual storyline and character development that interrupts the action once in a while.."

I couldn't agree more Malcolm. This has been my view on "We Were Soldiers" vrs. "Black Hawk Down" since they were in theaters. I guess this is another case of which ever comes out first gets the hype and attention whether it is better or not. I also agree that the trailer for "We Were Soldiers" did not potray the movie very well. I was not expecting the movie to be so bloody and action packed either when I first saw it based on the trailer.

 

[Leon Liew]

YANG

Thanks for the tip.I was surprised to read your post
when you said u have already received your copy. Just
went scouting for it in town but seems no one has it just
as yet.

 

[Jens Raethel]

Great movie, extreme agressive DD soundtrack!!

 

[Ron-P]

I will buy it Randy. Just curious as to what the movie is like as I have yet to see it. Seems like it will make a good blind purchase.
Peace Out~

 

[Peter Kim]

Disappointing to hear about the transfer. However, I've heard too much praise from respected sources to dismiss this movie. At least I'll rent and see if it warrants a purchase, despite the picture quality.

For me, the story, depicted in all of its OAR glory, is paramount

 

[Yumbo]

sound is set low.
no trailer.

why do they NEVER clean up the blood spatter on camera scenes EVER?

totally detracts from the intended realism.

transfer was ok. Semler said it was intended that way.

best scenes are the PLANES!!!

 

[Keir H]

When seeing this one in the theater, I just knew that I'd be getting complaints about this one if my vol level is set anywhere near reference level. Very agressive sound as mentioned here already. My seat,in the theater, never stop vibrating throughout the battle scenes! You'll see what I mean to those who have not watched it yet do.

 

[DanR]

While I recommend buying this for the movie, I cannot say that this is Paramount's best effort. In fact, it's quite a piss-poor effort on the video side (see Ron's review). While the sound is good, I was not overly impressed with it. Sure, it is an active mix, and the design is good, but I actually had trouble hearing some of the dialogue (which never happens in my home theater). I did not have trouble hearing the dialogue in the theater and I was in a modest theater in Miami when I watched this movie in March.

The extras are about average, but where is the trailer?

Quite frankly, I've never liked Paramount as a studio when it comes to DVD. The sole reason I was/am willing to overlook a lot of Paramount's shortcomings on the DVD format was/is that their audio and video presentation is almost always impeccable. However, when the audio and video is not up to previous standards for Paramount (or many other studios' for that matter), and I don't think We Were Soldiers is on par with those standards, then I cannot help but be a little miffed at Paramount as I am today.

As much as it pains me to say it, from a technical standpoint, I think this is easily the worst DVD I've bought in sometime, and it is a step back for Paramount. However, when one likes the movie as I do with WWS, then I have no choice but to keep it as part of my collection. Thankfully, this is my one and only Paramount DVD scheduled for purchase this year. It is easily forgettable, and will come nowhere close to making anybodies Top 10 lists at the end of the year.

Sorry to be a downer here guys, but that's how I feel after spending the last 3.5 hours with this release today.

Regards,
Dan

 

[Richard_D_Ramirez]

It's interesting that the trailer for this film dissuaded some of you from seeing it in the theater, since I had the opposite reaction when I first saw the trailer; I went and saw the film on opening day. I'm glad I did too! BTW, WWS's trailer is no more sappy than SPR's...

I'll be getting my copy after work today! Thanks for the review!

8^B

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Dan,

My review clearly brings out the fact that
the transfer suffers from extreme graininess.

But let me go to bat for Paramount who has told
me directly that this was the intent of the Director
for the film to look like this, whether we agree
with it or not.

I haven't changed my review because, well, people
deserve to be warned about the grain. But I do not
blame Paramount for the problem in the transfer.

There's an old saying...garbage in/garbage out.
You can only do so much with what you have. If
Paramount is dealing with a film intended to be
grainy, or in your case, doesn't sound to your
liking, it is probably due to what they were given.

You know, my issue is that you come to expect
certain quality standards with certain studios.
Paramount certainly ranks amongst the top studios
as far as consistently superior transfers. I have
also visited their restoration department, talked
with restoration masterminds Rami Mina, Ron and
Garret Smith and know that the studio takes a lot
of pride in how their discs look.

 

[CaptDS9E]

I watched it this morning and i liked it a lot. I noticed the grain but for some reason i felt the film was done that way

capt

 

[HankM]

I just got done watching this tonight. I too did not care for the trailer but after watching this I believe it may be the best Vietnam war film I have seen. This movie is excellant and Mel Gibson gives one of his best performances. The grain to me made this film all the better, especially on the battlefield. This transfer is right on IMO. This reminds of when Saving Private Ryan was released. People questioned the quality of the DVD transfer because they did not understand the technics that Janusz Kaminski (director of cinematography) used to make the movie more real and involving. I will be purchasing We Were Soldiers tomorrow after I return my rental copy.

 

[Jeff Whitford]

Just got done watching it. Great Movie! When you watch the deleted scenes I recomend that you watch them regular and then with the commentary. Learned some cool stuff.