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

[Kyle Richardson]

This film moved me more than any other film within the past few years. I must admit, I was crying like a baby when it ended. :frowning:

 

[Scott MIddleton]

Ron ...
I've watched the film on a couple of different machines as well as ISF matched 65 and 55 RPTV(s) and didn't see the "grain" or "grit" that you'd mentioned.I did pick up some noise in Chapter 4.

 

[WeldonC]

May be questionable why were there. What isn't QUESTIONABLE is the BRAVERY of the men who were there! I think we get caught up sometimes by: how is the transfer, what about the sound, where are the extras and trailers. This movie told a story! I, for one, was humbled by this viewing experience and was so caught up in the telling, to tell the truth, did not notice if there was any jaggies etc. That's all I have to say.

 

[Bob Marker]

Thanks for the review Ron.
Watched this movie a couple of weeks ago and would rank it, along with Black Hawk Down, as among the best war movies I've seen.

Bob

 

[todd stone]

loved the movie, but the xfer was pretty bad......

 

[Tom Brennan]

Edwin---Politics aside the United States Army was full of conscripts in 1965. Some volunteers but many draftees. Morale and dedication was high in 1965, that is true.
In any case I think the movie was pretty good, I like the way it avoided the politics and was a "pure" war movie. I'd say the only better Vietnam movie is "The Siege of Firebase Gloria" with Lee Ermey and Wings Hauser. I think the Firebase Gloria movie, though evidently little known, was watched more than a few times by Wallace, indeed several scenes and characters seem to have been lifted from it.
www.chicagohornspeakerclub.org

 

[NickSo]

I saw this movie last night.. One of the better war movies IMHO. I've seen all of the recent war movies (Pearl Harbour, SPR, Enemy at the Gates, BHD, anything else?)except for one or two (Missed Thin Red Line, and Harts War).

The character development really added more to what BHD was lacking. The action was really intense, and I could actually feel the tension and stress they went through (probably one thousandth of what they felt).

Many war movies concentrate on soley the 'good guys', and give the audience the feel that the other side is an evil bloodsucking bloodthirsty vicious malcious army. Though this may be the case sometimes, i always feel that if something was going on on the 'good' side, the 'bad' side would have somebody in the same situation. This movie really portrayed each side somewhat equally, like when they showed the leader of the viet army through his strategy, then going back to Moore with his strategy. It really put them on, like the same 'level'. And also with the guy who was about to bayonet Moore with the diary and the picture of his wife.

I wasnt too annoyed at the transfer (actually i didnt notice anything... probably its coz of my old OLD TV).

And the uncleaned blood splattering i felt was effective in putting you in the action, as if you were actually in there filming, or taking photos.

 

[Jeff Adams]

I saw this at the theatre and enjoyed it very much. I just watched it again on Sunday night. And all I can say is WOW! What a movie. Mel Gibson keeps making the hits doesn't he. This was a very emotional movie, I had to hold back the tears a couple of times. I wish they would have shown movies like this in History class. I also liked that they show the North Vietnamese side of the war. The movie is liek 2 1/2 hrs long but seem like an 1 1/2 hrs due to the pace of the film.

The battle scenes were unrelenting and exhausting (I mean that in a good way as it is getting it's point across as to the effects of war.)

I am in total agreement with you. Not only was the affect of the action scenes felt emotionally but I was simply blown away by them. No pun intended. This is simply a tour de force dvd for your home theater. Visually the battle scenes were amazing, you could see bullets flying through the air, napalm explosions, the works. And the audio is as good as it gets. The 5.1 EX sound was giving my speakers a serious workout. I have a 7.1 setup and I felt like ducking. I had bullets, choppers an fighter jets flying through my living room. There is also some very low frequency for extended amounts of time in this film. When the soldiers fired their rifles, you could feel the rounds hitting you in the cest and the mortar rounds and big artillery shells had my house shaking, one of my pillows fell off my couch. This soundtrack gave my dual sub setup quite the workout. I have been waiting for a movie that rivaled SPR in the audio department and this is it! I think it is a tie for first place. I do have one complaint though and with a brand new movie like this, there is NO excuse. The video was sub standard for a new release. Not sharp and clear like most today. I did notice alot of grain in the picture. I just don't understand why they didn't take the time to do a better transfer with a great movie like this.

 

[Mike Soltis]

I was also impressed with this film, and one thing about the film that sticks out IMHO is
The scene with the Vietnamese commander on the field after the Americans have gone, showing the other side of the story

Maybe a bit PC, but still added to the movie for me.
Yes Ron, the transfer is hurting in some places, but the dark scenes looked pretty good to me.
Liked Sam Elliot, but I was looking for Robert Duvall

 

[T r o y]

I really thought this was a fantastic war movie curtailing the first events of the vietnam war. I thought the cast were excellent and put you right into their shoes. Thank God I was in my comfortable recliner. Watching war movies like this one , SPR, and BHD, as hard as it is, I can't help but try and put myself in these soldiers shoes and situations and I totally tense up. You definately sense the sheer terrifying and horrific experiences these soldiers went through.
I think the filmakers did an excellent job with the realism of this movie. I definately flinched more than once in more than a few scenes when soldiers were being struck by enemy bullets especially that very first scene with the bugle guy.
If you've seen the movie you know what I'm talking about. I thought the realism was as intense as SPR was. Filmakers have definately got it down now on how to make a true realistic war film. SPR definately set the stage for realism in a war movie. The way they shoot scenes in war movies now, for instance, if the camera is focusing on a soldier talking or something and there is rapid enemy fire going all around him, you just don't know if he is going to be struck right in the face/head and just knowing that I get this huge sense of intensity and almost cringe state upon me just knowing that he is just about to be shot there. I hate that state of realism in a war movie. Very hard to watch war movies for just that fact alone. Not that's setting up a state of realism for sure.
Despite the lackluster video performance, it didn't matter because I was so engrossed in the story and war scenes .
Highly recommended!

 

[Geoff L]

There is nothing I can say that has not already been said.
As real as it gets and sucks you into the film so far that the transfer didn't even bother me. You feel for these people in this movie!

QUESTION:
This thread has been off the main page for quite some time now.
Dose anyone know if they have re-released a DTS version of this film, or are planning to?

(Most likley not but still asking "those that may know")

I have not got around to picking the movie up yet (plan to this week) thats why the question on a possible re-release with DTS....

Thanks
Geoff

 

[Andy_MT]

i'd be interested in knowing whether this transfer looks this bad because this was the intentional look of the film, or whether paramount have laid another one on us (enemy at the gates was very poor in region 1, but according to sources looked signifficantly better in region 2).

either way, it's pretty awful, and i have to be honest, it did bring me out of the film a few times. call me fussy, but i like to see what i'm watching. grain is fine, but blurry just doesn't do it for me

but a good film either way.

as for DTS, have you tried other regions ?

 

[T r o y]

Hey Geoff,
I highly doubt this one will be re-released in a DTS version due to the fact it is a Paramount film.
At this time, Paramount does not support DTS on their DVD's :frowning: Hopefully in the future we all can look forward to DTS tracks on Paramount DVD's !! C'mon Paramount give us our DTS!!
As good as the DD track was on this film, I can't imagine how much more the DTS would sound on a film like this.. probably awesome!
I haven't bought this movie either and hope to pick it up soon.
Regards,
Troy

 

[Robert Crawford]

I've seen this film four times, including twice during it's theatrical run and the look of the dvd is consistent with the theatrical print I viewed. The director/writer of the film talks about this issue in his commentary track.




Crawdaddy

 

[Andy_MT]

thanks for the one up Robert (i haven't heard the commentary yet).

glad paramount did good (although there are some scenes where edge enhancement reaches eye sore levels so they're not completely innocent).

i just wish the film makers had gone with a "saving private ryan" look over this. i'll learn to like it one day i'm sure.

 

[RexW]

If you're multi-region capable, you might want to check out the NTSC R3 HK release. It has a good DTS track.
You can get it for around US$10 at many sites.
Minus is there are really no extras.
The NTSC R2 disc in Japan is coming out next month but pretty pricey at 6000 yen (about US$50) It is scheduled to have all the R1 extras and DTS.

 

[YANG]

The HK DTS release does not look as good as you might expect to be.
However good DTS performance does covers up for the visual shortcomings.

 

[Geoff L]

As Robert makes note and others way back in the thread, the basic film look, lets just say, was intended.

But also as Andy mentions, (PARA was not an Angel by anymeans)...

Rex
Thanks for the heads up on the HK-R3 DTS minus extras info. I'm multi R on one of my players so I may pick it up. I'll pass on the R2 if thats what it looks like it's going to run. Cheaper to just grab the DD and extras and the R3-DTS if indeed it can be had for around 10.00 and shipping.

I would think & hope that the "film trans" on the HK-R3/DTS would be no worse than our DD release.

Geoff

 

[YANG]

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=103389
Did a comparative review on the HK release and U.S release...for your reference...