Over the past few decades, there have been many powerful Vietnam War films that highlight the horrific brutality of battle and the tragic cost of the conflict, many of which have been criticized by experts for their accuracy or realism. While big-screen war films can serve as important reminders of the bloodshed and lives lost during conflicts like Vietnam, sometimes entertainment or the narrative demands of history are put above historical accuracy. In these cases, experts are often quick to point out where the filmmakers got it wrong and what the actual historical facts were about the event. Despite the best efforts of actors, directors, and screenwriters to achieve realism, certain errors still slip through. There are many reasons why Vietnam War films are criticized by experts for their accuracy or realism.
8. Apocalypse Now (1979)
While Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now is consistently ranked among the best war films of all time, it doesn’t excel in terms of historical accuracy. In a video from Insider, military history professor Bill Ellison broke down how Apocalypse Now’s iconic use of the “Ride of the Valkyries” by the approaching helicopters could have been effective in a film, but it never was, though he acknowledged that napalm has a distinctive smell, citing the quote “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” and gave the film a five out of ten for historical accuracy.
7. The Deer Hunter (1978)
While The Deer Hunter did win Best Picture at the Academy Awards for its shocking portrayal of the Vietnam War and its devastating impact on veterans, The Deer Hunter failed to impress historians. One thing that military expert Bill Allison took issue with was the scene where POWs played Russian roulette. Allison stated there was “no evidence” that this occurred and that the way the Viet Cong were portrayed was “brutal, barbaric, incredibly racist.” Released just three years after the end of the Vietnam War, The Deer Hunter did little to humanize the Viet Cong.
6. The Green Berets (1968)
One Vietnam War movie that was shockingly historically inaccurate was The Green Berets. More a pro-war, anti-communist story than a true depiction of the real conflict, this John Wayne film was released at the height of the Vietnam War and was widely viewed by experts as a piece of propaganda (via Slash Film.) A completely biased production, The Green Berets depicted the Americans as inherently good and the Viet Cong as completely evil. This was a dangerous way to portray such a complex conflict that was much more nuanced and ideological than shown in The Green Berets.RELATED:
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5. Platoon (1986)
Although Oliver Stone’s Platoon was praised for its commitment to historical accuracy, it was still criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of the Vietnam War. An unflinchingly gritty look at the harsh realities of war, Stone based the film on his own experiences serving in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, giving Platoon more credibility as a personal account. Not every moment of Platoon stood up to historical scrutiny. However, its depiction of the 25th Infantry Division, drug use among soldiers, and brutality toward Vietnamese villagers was unusually realistic for a film about the Vietnam War.
4. Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
The Sylvester Stallone sequel Rambo: First Blood Part II was completely destroyed by a realism expert who stated there was “no evidence at all” that Americans were held as POWs after the Vietnam conflict. This reality completely invalidated the movie from an historical perspective as the entire premise was Rambo returning to Vietnam and freeing those who had been in captivity. Military expert Bill Allison explained that Rambo: First Blood Part II perpetrated this longstanding myth, and he ranked the movie a zero out of ten for historical accuracy.
3. Missing in Action (1984)
Missing in Action, starring Chuck Norris, much like the Rambo series, was criticized for inaccurately portraying POWs being held captive in Vietnam after the war had ended. Missing in Action was slated by critics as a cheap Rambo rip-off that was described by Derek Adams of Time Out as “xenophobic, amateurish, and extraordinarily dull.” While the film itself received criticism for its quality, its concept too was flawed and was just another example of the myth of missing-in-action Vietnam War veterans being held captive that was widely believed at the time (via X Roads.)
2. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
While Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket was an insightful exploration of conflict, masculinity, and war during the Vietnam conflict, it took certain liberties when it came to the truth. According to historian and Guardian contributor Alex von Tunzelmann, the first half of Full Metal Jacket must be commended for its “doubtless valid”, albeit fictional, depiction of Marines recruits and their difficult training requirements. The main historical inaccuracies stemmed from filming locations which, rather than taking place in Asia, were actually captured in London’s Docklands. Despite this, Tunzelmann called Full Metal Jacket “a well-researched historical picture.”