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Visitors Review

Eumenides_0 2012-05-26 01:43:23

Remarkable Oliver Stone Movie!

Perhaps no other North-American director has done so much to tell thetruth about the Vietnam War than Oliver Stone. Coppola created thebreathtaking Apocalypse Now, and Michael Cimino created my favouriteThe Deer Hunter. And yet those movies, I think, set out to tell anabstract, universal story about war that could fit any war – WWII,Vietnam, The Gulf, etc: war is hell. But Stone's earlier Platoon wasperhaps the first great movie that explored the relationships betweenAmerican soldiers in Vietnamese soil born out of the circumstances theyfound themselves in. I don't believe Platoon could have been told withWWI as the backdrop – especially because the movie is based on Stone'spersonal experience in 'Nam.And Born On The Fourth Of July yet again explores an intrinsic aspectof the Vietnam War: the veterans' homecoming. Stone takes his timesetting up the story: at the beginning he shows the viewer a WWIIveterans' parade in young Ron Kovic's town being received with warmth,respect and admiration. A clear contrast is made later in the movie inKovic's parade wherein anti-war protesters try to disrupt the parade.Stone thus visually shows peoples' attitude towards the two wars: theformer was accepted and supported with patriotic zeal; the formerdivided a baffled America which didn't accept its government's lies norcouldn't understand the point of the war.The beginning of the movie is pure foreshadowing in itself, as youngRonnie and his friend play soldiers in the woods and is ambushed and'killed' by his friends. Stone sets this scene to immediately show thesort of patriotic, army-worshiping, 'tough' kid Ronnie is, and toforeshadow his tragic incident in Vietnam. Even as a kid we can see RonKovic is a complicated person: loved by his parents but having adomineering mother watching over him, filling his head with patrioticnonsense against the 'communist evil,' he becomes a ratherdysfunctional kid: look at his behaviour when Donna kisses him; he getson the ground and starts doing push-ups… what? Is that supposed toimpress her or he can't just interact well with women? Considering theBible-strict family he comes from, it's no wonder. There are even hintsthat Ron's mother is somewhat ashamed of him: her expression when heloses the wrestling match seems to imply she finds him a loser, and herartificial goodness when Ron returns from the Vet's hospital in awheelchair says the same. It's like she's embarrassed.Although the movie is consistently good — except for the Mexicosegment, in my opinion — it becomes really great after Ron returns from'Nam. The Veteran hospital segment is just brilliant: we're shown howthe veteran soldiers were dependent on uncaring, disrespectful warderswho couldn't care less about the 'Nam; we see the awful conditionsthese soldiers were treated, with lack of money, resources, material;we see the soldiers being treated inhumanly and just craving somerespect and dignity… or at least that's their viewpoint. The truth is,most of them think they deserve the moon and the stars just becausethey went to some foreign country kill babies in the name of freedom…but the warders can see just past through that nonsense and treat themlike the ordinary people the veterans think they're not. I particularlylove the scene where one warder tells Kovic that the Vietnam war is arich man's war, and the true war is being fought in the USA, at theUniversity campuses, for civil rights and equality. That's howdisconnected from the real world Kovic is, that he sees the war hisgovernment dumped on him through his blind patriotism, but neglectwhat's really going on. And his staying in the hospital is a realeye-opener.Truth be said, Ron Kovic never changes — although there's a superficialtransition in the movie from Vietnam War apologist to anti-warprotester, the fact is Kovic is characterised from the first scene as aman who only wants to do what's best for the country he so much loves;and at one point that means defending the Vietnam War with weakarguments — how can you defend sending young men to die miles way fromhome, anyway? — but as Kovic slowly matures he realises protestingagainst the war is really defending his country, even if it means beingcalled traitor, beaten or arrested. One of the best scenes in the movieis when Kovic invades a Nixon convention and speaks to a journalist howthe American government has lied to its people and convinced an entiregeneration of young men to die for nothing, and then dozens of peopletry to reach him to beat him up, spit in on or just insult him. It's apoignant scene because of Kovic's raw words and John Williams' alwaysemotional score. The uplifting ending is just the cherry on the top forwhat is an otherwise amazing movie about human nature triumphing in theworst of conditions.

2012-05-25 10:07:04

"Ronnie, you're doing the right thing. Communism has got to be stopped." ( * * 1/2)

Everybody and their brother thinks this is a war film classic. I don't. I grew up in Massapequa, knew Ron Kovic (slightly), hung out at Arthur's Bar, got my hair cut at Sparky The Barber's, I played in Sally's Woods as a kid, and watched God knows how many holiday parades down Broadway. Growing up, they occurred on every major holiday except The Feast of The Assumption.Massapequa's the kind of place you love and hate at the same time. It's a fly in the amber. The schools are excellent. Businesses like All-American and Krisch's Ice Cream Parlor have been there since 1955 and remain surprisingly unchanged. The town's underlying values remain intact, mostly because the kids that grew up there in the Fifties inherited their parents' houses and have passed them on to their kids now. On the Fourth of July the smoke from "illegal" fireworks is so dense that spy satellites can't penetrate it (this is a documented fact). There's been a spate of new construction, if you can consider a spate to have lasted 25 years, but beyond that, it's still home as I remember it. So the ersatz Massapequa (a town in Vermont that they dressed up) in this film was a little disconcerting to me: "Lemke Hardware wasn't even on the same street as Krisch's, and Krisch's is Krisch's, not Boyer's!" Hollywood. And this wasn't even the original film. The original BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY by Brian DePalma starred Al Pacino and was made, or partly made, in 1978. The Internet Movie Database tells me that the "financing fell through" but I can recall the Pequa Theater marquee showing "Love Story" during some filming. They were actually going to use Massapequa to represent Massapequa in that version.Actually, the sets don't bother me half as much as Tom Cruise. Pacino would have made this movie a TRUE classic. Cruise is real good at playing the teenaged Ronnie Kovic, but he utterly blows the role once Ronnie Gets His Gun. Cruise spends most of the movie overacting shamelessly, like yelling "Penis, penis, penis!" in a badly-acted "drunk" scene, and turning the heart-rending bitter anger of Ron Kovic's searingly sad book into something like pablum for the ease of audience digestion. We needed grit and despair in this movie. We got Tom Cruise, and not the Tom Cruise of A FEW GOOD MEN or THE LAST SAMURAI, we got the Tom Cruise of Jumping On Oprah's Couch Tom Cruise. War is hell. It should be presented as such. And so should it's hellish consequences. Like the Massapequa it presents the Ron Kovic of this film is not the real deal.

JFHunt 2012-05-20 00:45:02

You can take your Oscar and shove it.

"The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presentedannually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) torecognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, includingdirectors, actors, and writers." With that, let me ask you this? Does this film lack any of therequirements. Stone, Cruise, Kovic? Obivioulsy, Oliver Stone won theOscar and deservingly so, as did Best David Brenner and Joe Hutshingfor film editing. This leads us to Cruise and the man he became. Cruise is brilliant in this film…Period. He is at the pinnacle of hiscareer and his realest performances to date. Later, with only "EyesWide Shut" being a close second. After "The Color of Money" Newman gavehim pieces and Cruise put it all together. Ron Kovic, the man Americaalmost forgot. I remember the first time I saw this movie. I must havebeen about 11 or 12. I was sitting home bored out of my mind on 4th ofJuly. Flipping through the channels, I stopped on a Tom Cruise movieI've never seen. So I sat on the couch and watched the entire movie.And than something hit me. Something that I thought a movie could neverdo to a young man. I found myself in tears by the end.My favorite scene, what I consider one fo the defining moments of thefilm, occurs when Kovic/Cruise is drinking at a bar and tries to dancewith a young girl. But he can't because of his chair and ends up on thefloor. Everyone laughing. Nobody really ever cares. Has got to be oneof the saddest things in the world, life is.Even if the fine gentlemen and women at the Academy refuse to say it, Iwill. Thank you Ron Kovic for sharing your story. Thank you Tom Cruisefor making me believe.

2012-05-19 20:06:30

Oscar-worthy.

While Tom Cruise is superb as Ron Kovic; 1964 to 1968 formed a time when greater America chose to bury its collective head in the sand and believe that the invasion of Vietnam - which actually formed a conduit allowing the US to dictate the politics of that country - was a result of believing that in August 1964 the USS Maddox was simply attacked by North Vietnames gunboats.Knowing no better, Americans were told that it was this North Vietnamese act of aggression that formed the justification for its invasion of that country. In fact, the Maddox actually deliberately entered North Vietnam's waters in order to initiate and provoke a conflict.Provoke a conflict? Ring a bell? It should.As a young, impressionable, self-righteous idealistic American youth of the early 1960's Ron Kovic ignored overt truths of America's intrusion in a foreign country's affairs, choosing instead to believe the belt-fed propaganda of his government.From simply being a mindless, flag-waving robotic armed-device masquerading beneath the guise of a patriot - so valued by a cynical US government - Kovic's appalling injury brings realisation that he and his country, has in fact been sold the Brooklyn Bridge.The courage that Kovic then displays by opposing what he then acknowledged as an illegal invasion is a lesson that America should taken to heart.Ship out the jungle and oriental features and ship in sand and swarthy middle-eastern looks. Turn off the Beach Boys and turn on Eminem.Kovic's inspirational transformnation - through Tom Cruise's excellent interpretation - is a factor that is sorely needed today.More power Ron Kovic. More power Tom Cruise

2012-05-19 04:52:41

Debunking a lot of dangerous myths

In PLATOON, director Oliver Stone showed us the horrors of the Vietnam war from ground zero. Three years after that, with BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, he takes us to what the war did to America and has us see it through the eyes of another Vietnam vet, Ron Kovic, who co-wrote the screenplay with Stone from his own 1976 memoir. Tom Cruise portrays Kovic, and gives one of the best onscreen performances of modern times.Kovic was a kid from Massapequa, New York who grew up believing in the post-World War II beliefs of American superiority, anticommunism, and John Wayne, and who wanted to serve his country. But in Vietnam, he had the tragic misfortune of being shot by a VC bullet and paralysed from the waist down. He would now never be able to have children, and he would never walk again. Like a lot of Vietnam vets, he was met either with indifference or hostility to his suffering. He became embittered and hostile in his own way.But he soon learned that his experience could be used for a greater purpose than war: to educate Americans about the realities behind the myths that helped tear America apart during the 1960s and 1970s.Although a long film at 140 minutes plus, BORN is a stunning look not only at Kovic's personal experiences, but the experiences of our nation when we moved from braggadocio and John Wayne patriotism to cynicism and political violence. Never in this movie do Stone or Kovic ever say that Vietnam vets didn't serve their country proud. They do, however, indict the culture of paranoia and anticommunism that worshipped a supposed "patriot" like John Wayne, who NEVER saw any combat action in his life. And on that count, they must be commended fully. It is an honor to serve one's country, but when you don't know the truth about what you're supposedly fighting for, the results can be devastating. That is what Stone and Kovic say was wrong with America's Vietnam experience, and I can't help but believe they were 200% right.

2012-05-18 22:39:49

Flawed

No matter how good a movie may be as a production, it must be evaluated on its historical accuarcy in cases like this. Stone purports to be making a true story. The violent confrontation at the Republican Convention depicted in this flick did NOT occur. It occurred at the Democratic Convention. Oliver Stone is a member of the Hollywood clique that is attempting to rewrite history. All of Stone's propaganda cannnot change the facts that the Democrat Party started the Vietnam War (under Truman) and that the Democrat Party was responsible for the major opposition to Civil Rights legislation in the 60's. Sorry, Stone. You are a Stalinist. This movie is just pure commie-prop. Had Stone promoted this movie as fiction then it would be good entertainment. His attempt to call it 'historical' reduces it to mere propaganda. Stone is the Josef Goebbels of Hollywood.

2012-05-16 09:27:37

"Arms and the Man I Sing...." - Virgil (70-19 BCE)

Ron Kovic is a genuine hero. Born literally on the 4th of July in 1946, he served two tours as a Marine in Vietnam, suffered wounds that resulted in total paralysis of his lower body, returned to America horribly traumatized and disillusioned, became a prominent anti-war demonstrator and put his heroism to the test by confronting his own community, a hostile nation, tactical police squads, jail, the goons surrounding Richard Nixon, and his own debilities and despair. His autobiography is the basis of this 1989 film directed by Oliver Stone. Kovic and Stone collaborated on the screenplay. It seems that only two interpolations were demanded by Stone, for 'artistic' reasons: the childhood sweetheart Donna played by Kyra Sedgwick is imagined, and the confessional meeting by Kovic with the parents of the fellow marine he killed in friendly fire never happened. Otherwise, Stone's film is an extremely accurate depiction of the anti-Vietnam protests of the late 1960s and early 1970s. I know. I was there. I never met Kovic, but I knew people who knew him. I was in the throngs at some of the same demonstrations. I can't testify to the accuracy of the war scenes in Vietnam. I wasn't there. I followed my own conscience and confronted other demons. The only 'objection' I would make to Stone's portrayal of the anti-Vietnam protests is that there is a disproportion in the images of the protestors. The forefront protestors in Stone's film are nearly all "hippies" -- counterculture youth, bearded, beaded, brazen -- while in reality every demonstration I saw (after 1964 or so) had large numbers of quite ordinary "straight" citizens, middle class, middle-aged, etc. Stone portrays the "other side" -- the war hawks, the Miami Convention delegates who chanted "Four! More! Years" to celebrate the renomination of Nixon, for instance -- harshly but with precise realism. This is eventually a film about fanaticism, about the inevitable conflict between ideology and basic humanity. It was bound to be controversial when it was made, bound to be hated by the 'Love It or Leave it" super-patriots. I'm sure it would still be hated by the extremists of the Tea Party. It IS an indictment of America's stupidity and misconduct in Vietnam. It IS an indictment of the shameful mistreatment that the returning Vietnam Vets have suffered in a country that glorifies their "service" but despises their personhood. It IS a denunciation of all wars. War is not "diplomacy by other means" as the German historian called it; war is the failure of civilization.Oliver Stone has made twenty (20!) films, many of them box-office successes. Would you believe that I've never seen any of them first-run? I spent most of the late '70s, '80s and '90s outside the USA. The very first Stone film I've ever seen -- on DVD quite recently -- was "Wall Street," brought to my attention by an amazoo cagemate. I was hugely impressed, not only by the content but also by the art of direction and cinematography. "Wall Street" is extremely well made as a film. Michael Douglas, in the role of Gordon Gekko, is an emotional powerhouse. Camera work, editing, musical support -- all brilliant! Naturally, being the extravagant dude I am, I immediately purchased a whole retrospective box of 14 discs of Stone's works. "Born on the Fourth" is the first one I've watched from that collection, and it's close enough to being a masterpiece of cinema that I consider my money well spent. Oliver Stone appears to be a volatile personality. He's made statements that I've found profoundly confused and even offensive. But the two films of his I've seen so far have exhibited masterful control of the medium and clear focus of the message.

i_love_chaos 2012-05-16 03:44:04

one of the worst war films

i'm really into war films but this has to be one of the worst. i thinkOliver Stone should stay clear of war films. he just doesn't make themwell. Platoon isn't a favourite of mine either even though its ratedhigh. Oliver Stone did make Platoon pretty well though but it doesn'teven close to Apocalypse Now, Saving Private Ryan or We Were Soldiers.i think Tom Cruise did a half decent job of an injured war veteran thathas been rendered to living in a wheel chair. Tom Cruise really is afantastic actor but i didn't feel for him as much in this.the film is really showing its age too. films like Apocalypse Now stilllooks absolutely fantastic even today but every time i give born on thefourth of July another try it gets worse.you should watch this film if your a war fan because its not a rubbishfilm but you will agree with me that its no way as good as other warclassicsi really have no idea why this film won 2 academy awards either. therewas nothing special that stuck out of the film that made it worthy oftwo academy awards........ 4/10.......j.d Seaton

J. Wellington Peevis 2012-05-15 08:38:36

"The Worst Years of Our Lives"

A biography of Viet Nam Vet turned anti-war activist, Ron Kovic, thisremains one of the more powerful, and graphically disturbing 'coming home'pictures to come out of Hollywood. I think the footage depicting Mr.Kovic'srecovery in a rat infested, ill-equipped VA Hospital are by far the mostlasting. Tom Cruise's performance as Ron Kovic is nothing short of amazing.You will find yourself forgetting the actor behind the roll, a feat TomCruise rarely accomplishes. The film has lost some of its punch over time,mainly because Oliver Stone's magic has all but faded to the point that younow uncover flaws in his earlier films, that might have gone unnoticed hadhe not exposed himself in his later works. The zealously religous yetunfeeling mother figure rears her head in this film as well as in Nixon, asan example. Watch this if only for Cruise's performance, but be warned itmay take you to a place emotionally you might have wished to avoid.

Enver 2012-05-15 00:59:48

A pretty good film

this film was really good- the acting was great and the visuals and direction were astonishing- tom cruise did a great job delivering his character. awsome film that any war loving film fan will love

2012-05-09 08:40:41

A powerful film

"Born on the Fourth of July" is the story of Ron Kovic, with a focus on his childhood, Vietnam service, and postwar life. Tom Cruise provides one of the most outstanding performances of his career playing Kovic, with an abundance of energy and passion. The movie delves into a side of war that is often out of sight, which is the path to rehabilitation following serious injury. Having been an instrument of war, who served without question, Kovic's transition from loyal servant to objector is well conveyed by a strong film narrative. It is his adjustment to living with physical restriction, and sharing his experiences with others that makes this a highly compelling film.Nicholas R.W. Henning - Australian Author

2012-05-09 00:17:05

Re-"Born"

"The Church blessed the war. Communism, the insidous evil.They-they told us to go. Thou shall not kill women & children. Thou shall not kill women & children, ma. Thou shall not kill women & children. Isn't this what you taught us?" - Ron Kovic melts down in front of his parents in "Born On The Fourth Of July"Oliver Stone's powerful film, based on the true story of Vietnam Vet., Ron Kovic, still packs a punch after fourteen years since its Christmas 1989 release and has the best performance that Tom Cruise has given in his entire career. Sadly, the film didn't sweep the Oscars like "Platoon" did, and, no, Cruise didn't win that year for Best Actor (that honor went to Morgan Freeman for "Driving Miss Daisy". Say it with me people, "What the *u*k!?!)."Born" starts out in the late 50's as we meet a young, impressionable Ron Kovic who plays war with his pals in the backyard and has a sweetie named Donna. The film sets up the major characters & Kovic's family and then jumps to his Senior Year in High School, in the early sixties.A visit from the local Marine Recruiter at his high school easily convinces Kovic and some of his buddies to join the Marine Corp., fully aware that they may be the first to head into battle, and the nightmare that would be Vietnam.The film segues to the year 1967 & Kovic's first tragedy trying to come to grips with accidently killing a fellow soldier in the heat of battle & then his commanding officer telling him to, basically, forget what happened. In 1969, his personal hell begins as he is shot twice, one in the heel of his foot and with a second shot to his upper chest, severly damaging his spinal column, Kovic is paralyzed for life from the waist down. With such a severe injury, Ron Kovic is sent home, but just as he has found that war is hell, the road home has its nightmarish twists & turns. Coming to grips with all that has transpired & with the ever changing world around him, Ron Kovic quickly learns its a long road home.This is easily one of Oliver Stone's best films side-by-side with "Platoon". While "Platoon" gives us the sweaty, gory, backstabbing, hellish nightmare that was the Vietnam War, "Born On The Fourth Of July" gives us the other side of the nightmare, the war at home, in its all its unflinching darkside glory.Stone's direction is top-notch. "Born on the Fourth of July" is shot with red, white, & blue hues (red for the battle sequences, blue for the tragic scenes and white for the dream sequences). The film doesn't capture the essence of the 60's & 70's, it embraces it (the scenes of Massapequa in the 60's is all Americana while the Massapequa of the 70's seems lost, trying to forget or demonstrate against the war. The town's innocence is truly lost). The Vietnam action sequences are filmed documentary guerrilla style.The cast is absolutely outstanding. Tom Cruise is at the top of his game in this film. Rumor has it, this film destroyed his marriage to Mimi Rogers. Cruise spent a lot of time in the wheelchair, getting all the movements right & preparing for the role, so when filming began everything came second nature to him. Also, keep an out for small roles from Billy Baldwin, Stephen Baldwin, Holly-Marie Combs (T.V.'s "Charmed"), Vivica A. Fox (she's the hooker in the hospital ward at night), Michael Wincott ("Alien Ressurection" & "The Crow"), John McGinnley ("Scrubs" & "Platoon") & Wayne Knight (Newman from "Seinfeld" & "Jurassic Park").As for this third DVD release for "Born On The Fourth Of July", I really wish it was a special edition, but, its not. This version combines the previous two (before this release, you had a choice between the 30 dollar Dolby Digital version, or the 30 dollar DTS version) with Dolby Digital & DTS audio with a commentary track by Oliver Stone. The only special feature is a NBC backstory segment that delves into the network's archives retrieving interviews with Stone, Cruise, & Kovic from the film's press junket in 1989. Its a half-assed affair with, of all people, Bryant Gumble hosting.With "Born" ending with Ron Kovic speaking at the National Democratic Convention in 1976 & the film itself being released 13 months before the first Gulf War, it would be interesting to catch up with Kovic & to see his views on the war in Iraq, stem cell research, & how he feels the country is doing. Sadly, "Universal" doesn't share these ideas and the DVD presentation sucks. The picture definitely needs to be remastered. The audio is decent with 5.1 surround."Born On The Fourth Of July" is like the colors of the American Flag.They don't run.For Truth, Justice, & The American Way.God Bless Our Troops & American Veterans.Above All, God Bless America.

2012-05-05 21:59:21

Cruise's Best Performance

For those of us who always believed that Tom Cruise was only capable of action pictures and couch jumping, this movie was certainly an eye-opener. So, three stars for this film, based Tommy's surprisingly strong acting. As for the rest of the film.... Meh. The story is the typical unsubtle Oliver Stone narrative. He crams his usual leftist "perspective" down your throat soo far it's hard not to gag.

2012-05-05 20:44:04

Classic Film by Stone and Cruise

Oliver Stone was at the top of his game when this film was made in 1989 starring Tom Cruise. It follows the true story of Ron Kovic's life from 1950s idyllic childhood to Vietnam Veteran war protestor. Beginning during a fourth of July parade in 1956 we cut to the JFK inaugural address (oops, five years later and young Ron hasn't aged). His mother says she had a dream that Ron was speaking before a large crowd saying important things. This dream turns out to be prophetic and the ending is always moving.Cruise gives a great portrayal as Ron who's paralyzed by wounds and transforms into a spokesmen for Vietnam Vets. Vietnam is long over, but the effects go on. Those of veterans and those of lessons learned and not learned. Will our country ever learn that war is wrong?

Constantinople 2012-04-28 06:46:48

the first realistic American war movie I've seen in a long time.

Warning: potential spoilers ahead.Finally. Finally. Finally an American war movie that doesn't glorifyAmerica trying to rule the earth. Finally.Vietnam was a mistake. This film nails it. (Finally.)Tom Cruise plays Ron Kovic, a crippled Vietnam veteran. Yes, the thoughtisshocking. But I was surprised. He was quite good, though limited by hissqueaky, whiny, boyish voice. He by all means deserved the oscarnominationhe received, but of course lost the award to Daniel Day-Lewis (as CristyBrown in My Left Foot; in my opinion, one of the most beautifulperformancesin cinematic history).Willem Dafoe was brilliant, but unfortunately didn't get enough screentime.It also helps that I agree with Ron Kovic's views. But I also found thedirection quite good. All the spinning cameraangles...wavering...confused...illustrate the horrors and insanities ofwarbeautifully.I do not find this film insulting to the American men who died in Vietnam,but of course I'm not a war-crazed redneck. Anyway, the men who foughtwereyoung, filled with romanticized views and dreams about fame and gloryassociated with going to war. Young men deceived by the government, toldthat they were fighting for a good cause, to stop Communism, to fight fortheir country.Overall, a good film, with a good message, and good out-look on war.Outstanding for an American film.

2012-04-28 01:43:08

Gratuitous, tedious, melodramatic

Imagine if someone told you that being hit on the head with a cudgel hurts. Then, to prove their point, they hit you over the head with a cudgel for two hours and twenty four minutes, not including the time you spent waiting for them to start and recovering. That's what watching this movie felt like to me.Yes, war is bad. Yes, people get hurt and killed and crippled and psychologically maimed. But this film takes far too long to make all those points. The scenes in Mexico are gratuitous, the pre-war scenes are tedious and overly melodramatic, and everyone is a poorly-written stereotype. The much-ballyhooed hospital scene is drawn out for far too long. Everywhere a summation might do, we get a long and pointless melodrama. Where we need a scene, we get several scenes, all stitched together into one long screeching howl. No one in this film feels real, not even Kovic. Having said all that nastiness, the scenes in Vietnam are excellent, and the movie has the look of 60's and 70's America down. Visually it is well-done, the only thing about it that is appealing.Read the book, which is much better, and skip over Stone's clumsy handling of this subject. There's some great material here, but Stone is so blinded by his vision that he ends up making a muddled, mindless, moronoic film. Which, no doubt, is what some will think of this review!

InterpreterNatalie 2012-04-26 16:45:19

ROCK!!!!!!

SPONGEBOB IS NOT GAY!!!!!I don't care what anyone says Spongebob is SO F***ING FUNNY! The goofy goober song is awesome w/ Rock and Roll.Patrick is probably the dumbest idiot (and most coolest and fattest)s starfish ever.And he is funny "DID YOU SEE MY BUTT?"

Miyagis_Sweaty_wifebeater 2012-04-26 00:23:30

The Cinema of Oliver Stone: Born on the Fourth of July

Born on the Fourth of July follows the life of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) ahigh school athlete from a east coast working class family who's proudof God and country and when duty calls, he volunteers for the U.S.Marines. During his second tour of duty, his life changes. Can Kovicdeal with his new lifestyle? Will his love for God and country bechallenged by the ever changing environment of the 60's and 70's? Tofind out you'll have to watch Born on the Fourth of July.Born was the second part of Oliver Stone's Viet-Nam trilogy. Tom Cruisewas awesome in this movie. He may be a weird beard off screen but mancan he act. Oliver Stone did a fantastic job as well, he made the filmclick on all cylinders and got a top notch performance out of Cruise.People may not like Oliver Stone's politics or his style offilm-making, but I enjoy it and love his style (highly influenced byCosta-Gravas) . I highly recommend watching the Viet-Nam trilogy andexperience the times by a man who lived them.Highest recommendation possible.

gcd70 2012-04-22 20:23:58

Infuriating and moving

While not connected in any actual way, "Born on the Fourth of July" isOliver Stone's follow up to his fantastic 1986 film about the Vietnamwar, "Platoon". This time Stone confronts us with the shocking affectthe war had on its veterans, by telling us the true story of Ron Kovic,a young man who joined the marines in order to get an opportunity toserve his country in the war, and stop the "insipid communist" regime.Oliver Stone, who again won best director at the Academy Awards forthis film, delivers yet another powerful and emotional drama about theatrocities of Vietnam, atrocities that even followed the young men backto the United States. Once again the production is technicallyimpressive and very convincing, and John Williams provides a trulyhaunting score, which is both disturbing and uplifting in its ownright. The fabulous acting performances are probably the filmsstrongest point, with Raymond J. Barry, Frank Whalley, Jerry Levine andboth Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger (also in "Platoon") lending fineback up to Tom Cruise, whose honest and passionate portrayal of theshattered Kovic is magnificent, the role of a lifetime for thispreviously unproven actor.Stone's movie of Ron Kovic's novel is only fractionally less effectivethan "Platoon", perhaps due to its marginal over length and the factthat it is not as brilliantly focused as its predecessor, as it coversa much broader range of topics that related to the war. Yet still thisis a film that will surely infuriate you, and move you.Wednesday, January 26, 1994 - VideoOliver Stone's obsession with the Vietnam war continues in "Born on theFourth of July" as he shifts his focus from what Vietnam did to thesoldiers to what the United States did to its veterans.Ron Kovic's touching autobiographical novel is the subject matter onwhich Stone bases his harrowing, disturbing screen play (co-written byStone and Kovic) about young Kovic's blind pro-war patriotism whichturns into a strong anti-war passion after he returns from Vietnamparalysed and disillusioned.The film's strongest point is its performances from an impressive castincluding Raymond J. Barry, Caroline Kava, Jerry Levine, Kyra Sedgwick,Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger and an outstanding Tom Cruise who gives us apowerhouse showing, first as the gung-ho young marine ready to take onthe world, then as the confused and angry vet questioning the veryideals on which he was brought up.The splendid production values that were evident in "Platoon" returnagain, with Robert Richardson back behind the camera to deliver somesplendid 'Nam pics, Bruno Rubeo again in charge of Art Direction, whilenew editor David Brenner does a creditable job and John Williams scoresan emotionally rousing piece of music.Again Stone proves himself a confronting controversialist, and one whowas obviously deeply disturbed himself by the upheaval that sodevastated the American people and the entire world in the turbulent60's. As an accompaniment to 1986's best picture "Platoon", "Born onthe Fourth of July" is a worthy piece of cinema, and though not asbrilliantly or deliberately focused as its powerful predecessor, it isa haunting reminder of one of the greatest tragedies of our too oftenfallible kind, war!Thursday, October 6, 1994 - Video

2012-04-22 02:32:34

A Fine, Underrated Film

Like other skeptics of this film, when I first picked it off the shelf, I was extremely skeptical of the film. The cover looked pretty uninteresting, giving off the vibe of Coming Home or some other cheesy feel good hippy film with a hearty dose of sixties-seventies optimism. It was directed by Oliver Stone, a man who is certainly not known for even handed portrayals of political subjects. And Tom Cruise, the pretty boy from the kitschy and lame beyond lame Top Gun, playing the lead? How can this be any good of a film?Well, I'm entirely certain that I was completely wrong, very wrong. This is a great movie, and the somewhat cheesy cover art and packaging of the film misleads you into what could be one of the most painful war movies that deal with the aftereffects of war, easily on the same line as the Deer Hunter. No, it's not as scary as being confined to replaying Russian Roulette over and over again, but it's most certainly an emotionally distressing, and Tom Cruise does a fantastic job getting all of the suffering and misery across. I've always thought Tom Cruise is a better actor than people give him credit for, and despite how annoying he can off camera (not to mention his spotty filmography) he still can certainly put a good performance if he chooses the right ones. With all of this in line, this is one war film that deserves more praise than it gets, especially among audiences and film enthusiasts.Now, the film is not perfect (most films aren't, but that's another kettle of fish), and I know, like many Oliver Stone films, it's slanted towards the left; Vietnam the way Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic saw it (both very anti-war). However, I feel that there certainly are many valid and interesting viewpoints made during the film, Also, Stone's genuine passion for the subject through experience makes it more worthwhile. Most importantly though, it easily transcends these flaws with great acting, superb directing, great editing, a direct and raw approach to many of the displays of war (instead of extremely diminishing it with some stupid metaphor or symbol) and a spare-no-punches, gut instinct, intensity almost through the whole movie. Best of all however, is it never loses touch with being a human. For all the political points of view, Born on the Fourth of July, at heart, is still a humanistic study of one man's internal and external struggle with war, and it never loses it's characterization or real human struggles through any of it's views.Anyway, this is a great film, near the same level as Oliver Stone's Platoon (still haven't seen Heaven and Earth). While some of the content in this film is definitely fiction, it shouldn't stop you from seeing this great film. Tom Cruise has never been better, and Oliver Stone spares no punches and goes right for the gut (and very much succeeds). It all adds up for a very exhausting, but ultimately uplifting and rewarding film. Very highly recommended.