the spanish american war be a relatively little known episode . though of little military importance and it be politically significant and in several way mark a turn point in american history . great topic for a movie and yet in this case the end result fall dismally short of what it could have be . though only make for television and milius be clearly try to create an epic . despite a promising start the movie be essentially much too long and downright tedious . the film making be extremely conventional to put it mildly . bad yet and the entire movie be base on the same old stereotype typical of patriotic hollywood war movie copy time and again and in this case all put together in an inflated and unrealistic and grotesque jumble . we have see it all over and over again and from an ex outlaw evolve into a good soldier and sam elliot a the tough cowboy turn sergeant and evil and cowardly german advisor import the late in arm technology . action be often severely overdone in the manner of victorian propaganda and with troop recite shakespeare in the midst of battle . the absolute high point of this absurdity be the figure of roosevelt and sling his revolver faster than wyatt earp while heroically lead the charge . there be also darker and not quite so subtle theme where milius militant patriotism really bring uncomfortable undertone most notably two scene of kill prisoner and which be show a almost glorify or at least self explanatory . all in all and severely overdone and overblown and tedious to watch unless you enjoy militant propaganda .