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Casualties of War (Unrated Extended Cut) |  | Actors: Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn, Don Harvey, John C. Reilly, John Leguizamo
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.94
Buy Used: $2.25
as of 9/9/2010 03:27 EDT details
You Save: $12.69 (85%)
New (46) Used (33) from $2.25
Seller: superpawn
Rating:  74 reviews
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Dubbed), Portuguese (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 99
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Running Time: 119 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 043396137271
UPC: 043396137271
EAN: 0043396137271
Theatrical Release Date: August 18, 1989
Release Date: April 25, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
An American soldier must decide what to do when his combat squad abducts and rapes a young Vietnamese woman.
Based on a true story, this Brian De Palma film casts Michael J. Fox as a soldier in Vietnam in a squad led by Sean Penn. While on patrol, in the wake of an ambush that has left friends dead, they kidnap and rape a Vietnamese woman--then murder her. But Fox, one of the soldiers who refused to participate in the rape, is so appalled by the killing that he reports it--and finds himself being treated as the villain. Penn is scarily tough as the vindictive soldier and De Palma does a solid job of re-creating the crime, making it a thing of horror. Yet this film never quite connects, despite a strong performance by Fox and a supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo. --Marshall Fine
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 74
 superpawn DVD's July 27, 2010
rongo
bought 13 items and were all shipped together. postage costs were $8.00 but i was charged $35.00,,,,,, should develop a policy on combined shipping.
 Propaganda, pure and simple June 21, 2010
OBrien1984 (SoCal, USA)
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
This movie is nothing more than propaganda. If one looks at 2.59 million males (the number of Americans who served in Vietnam) mostly between the ages of 18-29, under any circumstances, one is likely to discover many heinous and shocking acts. While any human being should be shocked and emotionally disturbed by the brutal rape and murder portrayed in this movie, only a fool would be *surprised* that such incidents occurred. Based on U.S. crime statistics (200+ rapes per 100,000 young males per year) one would expect at least 5,000 rapes for 2.5 million American young males in a one year period (Vietnam tours were generally a little over one year).
Moreover, it should not take incidents like those portrayed in _Casualties of War_ to make one wary of going to war. If more balanced war movies like _Hamburger Hill_ and _Saving Private Ryan_ make a person think war is glorious, then that person needs his (or more rarely, her) head examined.
One thing that does not bother me much is that while the actual perps in this incident were black, the perps in the movie are white. The fact is that there were probably similar or worse incidents amongst white soldiers, simply given the sheer number of soldiers. On the other hand, I do not believe that emphasizing incidents like the one portrayed in _Casualties of War_ is fair to veterans of any race and of any war.
I give this movie two stars instead of one because it does portray an actual incident (even though it implies the lie that such incidents were commonplace), and because it is decent as a morality play.
 "This ain't the army, Sarge." June 17, 2010
J from NY (New York)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Brian De Palma's "Casualties of War" is not easy to watch, even for the most seasoned of "cineastes". Under the influence of war and the warmakers human beings are capable of behavior that defies comprehension. And the behavior of these men, with the mysterious exception of Pvt Errikson (Michael J. Fox), is indeed beyond comprehension.
How any decent veteran or man could object to this film also defies comprehension. It is not anti-military or anything of that kind. On the contrary, one would have to say after a thorough review of the actual story behind the rape, torture and murder of this Vietnamese girl (she was between the ages of 16 and 18), Pvt Errikson (whoever he really is) is an example of the greatest and most courageous form of patriotism: an attempt, even in the deadliest of situations, to uphold the Constituion and military law under the most dire of circumstances. Sean Penn plays Sgt. Meserve, a terrifying Platoon leader who, after suffering a loss in his unit, becomes a bloodthirsty monster and submits to Moloch: he proposes that the 5 men kidnap a "VC whore" from her village for some "portable rest and relaxation." Clarke (Don Harvey) who seems lacking in any conscience at all, is all for it. Diaz (John Leguizamo in his first role) knows what the platoon is doing is wrong, but is unwilling to witness to this , too afraid or too indifferent to take a stand. Hatcher (John C. Reilly) is none too bright puppet who comments to Errikson that he "feels like a viking" engaging in this activity.
This leaves Pvt. Erikkson completely alone. This really is one of the worst situations a person can be put in and I cannot believe he managed to survive. His attempts to stop the repeated rapes upon the girl (played wonderfully in a demanding role by Thuy Thu Le Oanh) are foiled under threat of death. Still he tries, and still he fails, and there is no blaming him--how could he have? A priest whom the real Errikson met with lamented this, but the only option here would have been him killing the entire platoon or throwing himself in front of the bullets that killed her, in which case there would have been no one around to bring these "soldiers" to justice. Dale Dye and Ving Rhames do ominously good jobs as Errikson's military superiors who tell him to keep his mouth shut, even promising to get him out of Vietnam if he'll just get over what an unfortunate incident this brutal rape and murder of an innocent was. This movie is, to my mind, as good as "Serpico", "On the Waterfront", or any film about one man who maintains his basic moral integrity in horrendous situations.
This whole story emerged from an article that journalist Daniel Lang wrote in 1969, which is also a book. Errikson met with him at some point and recounted the events. In reality, unlike in the film, Sgt. Meserve did not save Errikson's life and had not recently lost a bunch of men. That's to make him more human in the movie. Also, these guys received stiff sentences in the tribunal and sentenced to the stockade in Fort Leavenworth: however, their sentences were commuted to almost nothing. Clarke, the man who joked about gutting the girl three times, was let out after 8 years so he could "pursue a career in literature and philosophy". The real Errikson will never know this kind of freedom or be given credit for his unbelievable courage because he has to live in fear of these guys until he's dead.
I am not saying that this is typical behavior for Vietnam veterans. There were men I've talked to who would have shot soldiers the minute they began behaving like this. Unfortunately, though, that doesn't make these kind of things irrelevant. Recommended to anyone who wants to understand what makes a man of conscience what he is, or see what war can do to human beings.
HEAVY DUTY WAR MOVIE May 9, 2010
Edward Gerry (USA)
THE IDEA HERE IS HOW THE PEOPLE NOT THE SOLDIERS WERE TREATED AND HOW WAR CAN BRING OUT EVIL IN MANY PEOPLE
 Piece of Garbage April 14, 2010
James M. Doig
1 out of 12 found this review helpful
Anyone who thinks that taking one of the many aspects of war as a guide could possibly tell the whole story is a fool. Anyone who comes to any negative conclusions based upon this movie (which I fear is the case since many in our PC culture watch this crap) is a fool!!
Anyone who believes this is the way it happened is so shaded from reality that they should get down on their knees and praise the Good Lord that brave people are able to take care of the problems they refuse to honestly deal with.
Anyone who isn't troubled by this movie is insane, but anyone who believes that this movie tells anything about Vietnam needs to get a grip. To believe this movie gives any piece to the puzzle in the whole story of Vietnam War or even a small glimmer into the story of a group of soldiers (much less the valor of other soldiers) is so sadly ignorant of reality - they must reside in a comfortable place protected by such soldiers or in the misguided realm of liberal Utopian BS. This movie is CRAP!!
This movie is Hollywood want-a-be great, but ends up insulting people who cared about our country. This is BS!
This movie does not depict what happened. If you are entertained by crap and lies like this to further your silly ideas, then this movie is for you.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 74
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