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Casualties of War (1989)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 12/16

Casualties
12/16: Casualties of War may be the first film that Sean Penn doesn't cry in.

Congratulations, Sean...I didn't know you could do it. All the kidding aside, Casualties of War, which is based on a true incident, is a compelling war drama picture that seems to be another one about the Vietnam War but has something unique to talk about: the kidnap, gang rape, and murder of a young Vietnamese woman by four U.S. Army soldiers.

Max Eriksson was basically faced with three choices: kill his fellow soldiers to save the girl which would make him a murderer in the eyes of the U.S. Army, run away which would be viewed as an act of desertion, or let the rape happen.

Hence, Eriksson was powerless to do anything about it because he couldn't reason with the armed and dangerous soldiers who were either stupid or irrational. Then, he reported the crime to his superiors who told him to forget about it because doing so would make the U.S. Army look bad. Eventually, the whole matter was investigated, reaching the military court. Although the actual soldiers were tried and sentenced, their punishment was lenient, and they served little time, only to be dishonorably discharged at the end.

Michael J. Fox handles his role very well, showing a lot of sensitivity. It's probably the best work he has done in his career besides the Back to the Future trilogy. Sean Penn is better than he had been in most pictures. Somehow, he acts like his brother Chris, making it hard for me to distinguish between these two at certain moments. During the filming, he made Michael J. Fox mad in some scenes, just to get an effect out of him under the director's orders, by berating him that he was a "little TV actor."

Don Harvey gives the best performance. His role could've gone to Stephen Baldwin, but luckily, it did not. Stephen was first cast as Hatcher, but he was soon replaced by John C. Reilly after several scenes. A long time baddie, Don Harvey is the most effective, showing a chilling coldness. There are people out there who are like him, and he captures that kind of personality, making himself too real.

John Leguizamo is surprisingly lucid which is a rarity. In his autobiography Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life, he said he got slapped hard in the face by Sean Penn every time for fourteen takes. Dale Dye is also great. Interestingly, Sean Penn, John C. Reilly, and Don Harvey will reappear in a touchy-feely war picture entitled The Thin Red Line.

The film was shot on location in Thailand, and the bridge where the girl was murdered was part of the same rail transportation system used in The Bridge on the River Kwai. Unfortunately, it didn't do well at the box office, grossing $18.7 million against a budget of $22.5 million despite having something important to say.

All in all, Casualties of War is an unusual film from Brian De Palma, has great performances, and tells a serious story about war crimes against humanity.