# The best Vietnam war movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902 "2012-05-04T18:32:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/1 "2012-05-04T18:32:13Z")
So, what’s the best movie of those six and why? If you think there’s one that belongs there which I haven’t listed, do mention it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/2 "2012-05-04T18:33:23Z")
Poll to follow? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/3 "2012-05-04T18:34:05Z")
Without seeing a poll or a list yet, ‘We Were Soldiers’ maybe? ETA Nope. Apocalypse Now. Then WWS. Then FMJ. I like ‘Siege of Firebase Gloria’, but I’m not sure it’s near ‘best’ status. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/4 "2012-05-04T18:48:47Z")
_Apocalypse Now_ is the best movie, period. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/5 "2012-05-04T18:49:10Z")
Ah, there it is. I’ve only seen three of them, but I’d put those in order: _Apocalypse Now_, _The Deer Hunter_, _Jacob’s Ladder_. Of those not listed, I’d put _Coming Home_ ahead of _Jacob’s Ladder_, though it barely qualifies as a Vietnam War film. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/6 "2012-05-04T19:14:53Z")
That **Go Tell the Spartans** is not on this list but _Jacob’s Ladder_ is renders the poll instantly laughable. (no vote) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/7 "2012-05-04T19:31:33Z")
No vote. \*The Odd Angry Shot \*puts them all in the shade, as does _The Boys In Company C_ \*and _Go Tell The Spartans_. \*Where R. Lee Ermey first hit the scene as Sgt. Loyce. His role in _FMJ_ is derivitive at best. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/8 "2012-05-04T19:35:11Z")
What? No _The Green Berets_? I boycott this poll. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/9 "2012-05-04T20:15:35Z")
As the sun sets slowly in the east . . . ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/10 "2012-05-04T20:19:51Z")
Despite the fact that the ending was laughable and it literally only told half the story, I would vote for We Were Soldiers. That is for how it showed the war. As a movie Full Metal Jacket. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/11 "2012-05-04T20:34:21Z")
I liked Platoon. It showed an America at war with itself and didn’t use the same old Vietnam movie music we’ve come to know and love. They were playing Okie from Muskogee! ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/12 "2012-05-04T22:34:59Z")
I voted Apocalypse Now (non-redux version). “We train young men to drop fire on people, but their commanders won’t let them write f\*\*k on their airplanes. Because? It’s obscene!” That line works on so many levels. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/13 "2012-05-05T02:59:21Z")
[84 Charlie Mopic](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096744/) ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/14 "2012-05-05T03:33:21Z")
Hard to pick between _Platoon_ and _Full Metal Jacket_. Like the war that inspired it, _Apocalypse Now_ was a good idea, but overblown, self-indulgent and ultimately a mess. Amazing how you can get a 3-4 hour movie out of a maybe 100 page novella. I still like _Apocalypse_ (even if I never fall asleep anymore between the tiger scene and the boat docking at Kurtz’s compound) but I think it’s a step behind the other two. Haven’t seen, but want to, _84 Charlie MoPic_ and _We Were Soldiers_. _Go Tell The Spartans_ and _The Odd Angry Shot_ look really good too; thanks for the recommendations. During the time in the 90s when Hollywood was churning out a new Vietnam War movie seemingly every week, I would have really liked to have seen film versions of [Chickenhawk](http://www.amazon.com/Chickenhawk-Robert-Mason/dp/0140072187) and [Fields of Fire](http://www.amazon.com/Fields-Fire-James-Webb/dp/0553583859). ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/15 "2012-05-05T03:39:02Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > That **Go Tell the Spartans** is not on this list but _Jacob’s Ladder_ is renders the poll instantly laughable. > > (no vote) Agreed. Platoon took liberally from this movie (and Platoon was an excellent movie). ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/16 "2012-05-05T03:42:13Z")
I suspect that if you asked veterans of the war which movie came closest to their experience, they’d say _Platoon_. Despite my general distaste for Oliver Stone, I think _Platoon_ is the best of the bunch. Movies which maybe should have been included in the poll: [The Boys in Company C](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077270/) [Good Morning Vietnam](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093105/) [Casualties of War](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097027/) [Rescue Dawn](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462504/) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-vietnam-war-movie/620902/17 "2012-05-05T04:22:08Z")
_Platoon_, hands down. _Apocalypse Now_ is just a remake of\* Heart of Darkness\*.