Performances are wrenching, as these men confront pungent issues. Each actor is both witty and haunted, undercutting any sense of false nostalgia. Lindo has the most complex role, grappling with his messy politics and brittle father-son relationship with David, a skilful performance from Majors that holds its own among the veterans. Whitlock, Peters and Lewis have their moments as well. Boseman oozes charisma as their too-fondly remembered friend. And Thierry, Paakkonen and Hauser add strong textures as a multinational minesweeping team.

Lee also depicts the Vietnamese with a rare sense of balance and insight, feeding into larger themes about wilful arrogance and societal ignorance. The film is overlong, as the plot goes through several extended gyrations. But even the unnecessary sideroads add salient meaning (plus some exhilarating suspense) to the much bigger picture. At its core, this is a complex story about greed, specifically how the desire for money corrupts the brotherhood of humanity. And without sentiment, it shows that love is the only cure.

themes, themes, language, violence

12.Jun.20

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