Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Doc Johnson We've been up on that hill ten times, and they still don't think we're serious.


Directed by John Irvin
Dylan McDermott as SGT Frantz
Steven Weber as SSG Worcester
Courtney B. Vance as SPC Doc Johnson


Hamburger Hill 1987

Hamburger Hill is about a battle in Vietnam that took place in May of 1969. The 101st Airborne Division was assigned the mission to take Hill 937 in the rugged hill country of the Ashau Valley. This film is about 3rd squad. Most war films are on a platoon or squad level. With this film we don’t see much of the big picture at all. Instead we get to know about eight enlisted men and how they deal with combat. We go through the film from the point of a member of the 3rd squad. Before long the 101st is sent by helicopters into the Ashau Valley. The Ashau Valley is bad news because its crawling with NVA. They don’t even have to fight with gorilla tactics in the Ashau Valley. There’s enough of them that they can stand and fight the 101st in straight up conventional battle and they do.

On May 10th, 1969 the men of the 101st fly into the Ashau Valley. Their orders are to take Hill 937. The only reason they are going to take the hill is because that’s where the NVA are, and they are there for a reason. They are dug in and fortified with tunnels. When the 101st calls in Artillery or air support, the NVA simply go into their tunnels and wait until its over. The 101st assaulted the hill eleven times over ten days and it was a bloody mess.

Quote From Hamburger Hill

SGT Frantz You people will not die on me in combat. You f*ckin new guys will do everything to prove me wrong. You’ll walk on trails, kick cans, sleep on guard, smoke dope and didlybop through the bush like we’re back on the block. … People I am tired of filling body bags with your dumb f*ckin mistakes!


Conclusion

Hamburger Hill is a brutally honest look at a typical infantry squad in Vietnam. It skips all the glory, and heroism and delves into the realism of the daily life in combat. It’s not a lot of fun to watch a squad get decimated of a few months but it is what happens. It happened a lot in Vietnam. Hamburger Hill is a good film for it. The story is true and the casualties during the fight for Hamburger Hill were staggering.


The story was solid and had a good fast pace to it. Needless to say it packed full of combat scenes. The combat scenes are realistic looking as are the sound effects. They have the sound of mortars and artillery down pat. The cinematography looks good as well. The film wants to show the viewer the reality of war and it does that with a good story, good pyrotechnics, solid directing and very believable scenes. The score in the film is powerful and works well. There’s also some good music in the movie like, sitting on the dock of the bay.

The acting and cast in the film was also good. All of the actors involved did a good job. I really enjoyed the performances of the three main actors in the film, Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber and Courtney B. Vance. All three played the parts perfect and fit the parts well. Other than a couple of corny sounding lines in the film, I really liked the movie. Some people may not enjoy the film because of the language and graphic combat scenes. There’s a lot of cursing and blood, similar to a combat zone. I would recommend this film to any fan of war films. I give Hamburger Hill five of five stars.


More Films About the Vietnam War

Top Ten Vietnam War Films
We were soldiers
Full Metal Jacket
The Deer Hunter
Good Morning Vietnam
Path To War
Fog of War


Thanks for the read,

© 2006 Joe McMaster

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age