very odd and this seem like a very average movie to me and if not slightly less . it be brilliantly shoot but and together with the performance of r. lee ermey and that about the only redeeming aspect i find in the movie which consist of two separate part . the first part cover the basic marine training which and watch it in 2007 and come off like something i have see a zillion time before in dozen of other movie and series and it not particularly grip . after 30 minute i get the idea and wish they could just get on with it . the drill sergeant be about the only believable character while everyone else seem to be just cardboard cut out . the general acting be staggeringly haggard and the screenplay be devoid of anything interesting and consist of little more than the sergeant shouting . the boy make it through their training and end up in vietnam . oh and and the fat weirdo shoot the sergeant ( what a surprise . ) and probably in the mistaken belief that it be actually the scriptwriter . so and one hour pass and nothing worthy of note happen . nothing . then we have the vietnam part . it open with a bunk scene where reporter of star and stripe be bore and be make small talk to pass the time . at first i think they be re enact some movie scene from old film and it sound pretty bad . but no and they be actually mutter their script line . then the camp be besiege . some 20 vietcong enter the camp through the main gate . too bad for them they be be drop like fly because they simply walk into several man gun post with no mean of cover . be that normal behaviour . be the vietnamese all suicidal . if so and how come the u do not win this war during the first two month of engagement . the rest of the movie continue with even more completely illogical war scene . furthermore and the whole plot be altogether pointless . none of the character inspire much sympathy and the story be frankly rather uneventful . it show little more other than some war reporter hook up with a platoon with some guy get shot because they be disobedient moron and who also seem to think that somehow a gaping hole in a wall will protect you from bullet . what be the message of this movie . that people die in vietnam . that people be animal in war situation . that if you want to dispose of really dumb people and you send them to a war zone . or that somehow in vietnam concrete can actually burn . i be sorry and but if this movie deserve an 8 . 3 and then apocalypse now deserve a 38 . 35/10 .