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Not too long ago – relatively speaking – America cinema experienced a deluge of film about the Vietnam War. I recall attending multiple showings of director Oliver Stone’s masterpiece Platoon and being transfixed; I knew all about World War II, but it felt like no one really wanted to talk about the American involvement in Vietnam, let alone speak of all of the brave men and women that had sacrificed so much for a war that seemed set up for us to fail at. So Platoon felt like an appropriate and long overdue course correct. It marked the first time I actually attempted to talk to my old man about his experiences in that far-off country and, for a golden moment, father and son connected and bonded over that one year tour of duty he gave to our country. Stone’s opus had that effect on a lot of fathers and sons, I’d lay a wager, and painful wounds felt as if they were finally being addressed and given proper closure. Platoon was a huge hit at the box-office and lauded critically and during awards season and that led to other filmmakers dissecting what precisely went on “over there” in their own films and television shows: Heartbreak Ridge, Full Metal Jacket, Born On the Fourth of July, Tour of Duty, J.F.K. and Dogfight were just a handful of what followed Stone and Co.’s efforts. And, like most trends in pop culture, eventually the volume of Vietnam related films began to slow down, finally becoming a mere trickle. Every now and again, though, an intriguing film dealing with that time and place will show up as in today’s announcement from The Hollywood Reporter about just such a bird that is getting set to take flight…
Actors Viggo Mortensen and Caleb Landry Jones have been announced as having enlisted in director Alex Gibney’s (Enron) newest film Two Wolves. The story (written by Anthony McCarten of The Darkest Hour fame) deals with a U.S. helicopter pilot who does an about face, turning against his fellow soldiers in an attempt to stop the dark stain on our history known as the My Lai Massacre.
“This is a film I have wanted to make for seven years,” Gibney enthused in a press release announcing Two Wolves. “Now that I have the right team in place, we can tell this powerful tale. It’s a true story about how everyday people can become heroes, not through supernatural powers, but through a commitment to do the right thing in the worst possible circumstances. Since Enron, I’ve been making films about people who abuse their power. This is film about two men who fought back.”
Vents will keep an eye on this film; it looks to be special and a return to form for a Hollywood that in recent years has stayed miles away from the Vietnam War. Here’s hoping for substance over flash!
