Apparently, the Vietnam war is one of the most disastrous wars the US has ever fought, yet in the wake of such a catastrophe comes the best Viet movies that portray the war.
Though the Vietnam war which started in 1955 ended in 1975 after the fall of Saigon on April 30. It was the years after the war that saw the release of many movies trying to show the events and experiences of the time. While some of these movies were a true reflection of the war, many more were combat drills captured on the screen to boost morale.
If you have not seen any movies about the war, go no further as the list of the best is made available for your watching pleasure.
Here Are the 15 Best Viet Movies That Everyone Should Watch
15. Heroes
- Director: Jeremy Paul Kagan
- Release Date: 1977
Synopsis:
This is the first film to portray the real issues in the Vietnam war. Heroes made it to this list as a pioneer for other Viet movies to come later. Even for its time, the movie was a commercial success following its gross of $33.5 million at the box office on a budget of $3.1 million.
14. Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara
- Director: Errol Morris
- Release Date: 2003
- Award/ Recognition: Won Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature, Added to National Film Registry
Synopsis:
‘Fog of War’ is a military terminology yet the film deals on the interviews with former US defense secretary, Robert S. McNamara. The lessons are the perspective of McNamara about the Vietnam war.
The documentary has a good review and is a must-watch for anyone trying to reconnect with the Vietnam war.
13. Coming Home
- Director: Hal Ashby
- Release Date: 1978
- Award: Won the Best Actor Prize at Cannes Film Festival in 1978
Synopsis:
‘There are no victors in any war’ is a common adage. Coming Home makes this statement true when one woman finds herself torn between her marriage to a soldier and a veteran.
The wife is portrayed by Jane Fonda( Sally Hide) who starts an affair after her husband goes to battle but is now faced with making a serious decision when her husband returns.
Despite no victors in war, the film grossed $32 million on a budget of $3 million.
12. Hearts and Minds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ov4wBozhMw
- Director: Peter Davis
- Release Date: 1974
- Award: Oscar for Best Documentary
Synopsis:
The title of this documentary is a quote from President Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president of the United States of America. The documentary is notable for its interview with first-hand witnesses and use of live film during the Napalm Attack.
As chilling as this documentary is, it is one of the most accurate portrayals of the deadly war.
11. Good Morning Vietnam
- Director: Barry Levinson
- Release Date: 1987
- Award: Golden Globe Award for Best Actor- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Academy Award for Best Actor, Bafta Award for Best Actor in Leading Role
Synopsis:
War is a tough business that takes away happiness, yet, one DJ Adrian Gronauer( Robin Williams) decides to bring liveliness to the entertainment on the Armed Forces Radio.
He clashed with many who considered his tactics to be unorthodox but even more important is his ability to bring the first-hand experiences of the Vietnamese usually not seen or heard in mainstream media.
The film was successful at the box office. It was budgeted for $13 million yet it ended up with a domestic gross of $123.9 million while it received a worldwide gross of $279 million.
10. Hamburger Hill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEwY2542kFU
- Director: John Irvin
- Release date: 1987
Synopsis:
It is considered to be one of the most realistic capturing of one of the bloodiest battles in the Vietnam war on camera. The actors Anthony Barrile, Michael Boatman, and many others truly brought the story to life.
9. Rescue Dawn
- Director: Werner Herzog
- Release Date: 2007
Synopsis:
Many Vietnam movies are filled with heroic acts by individuals to others. Rescue Dawn is the survival journey of a U.S fighter pilot in Loas after his plane was shot down and he found himself in enemy territory.
It also provides a glimpse of the experiences of Prisoners of War when driven to their limit.
The movie stars actors like Christian bale among many others.
8. Casualties of War
- Director: Brian De Palma
- Release Date: 1989
- Award: Political Film Society Award for Peace
Synopsis:
There are wars that end up haunting everyone for a long time. Casualties of War is a retelling of a war crime against those who are powerless. While the story is from the perspective of a lone soldier that survived, it chills the bone to know what revenge can do.
The story of how some soldiers kidnapped, raped, and murdered a Vietnamese girl for revenge with only the storyteller rejecting the idea is a war crime indeed. The real-life event took place at Hill 192 in 1966 while the Vietnam war was still ongoing.
7. Tour of Duty
- Created By: Steve Duncan, L. Travis Clark
- Release Date: 1987-1990
- Awards: Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series
Synopsis:
After the end of any war, not many veterans are willing to talk of their work while on engagement. Tour of Duty is the experience of an Army Platoon while on duty during the Vietnam war.
The TV series ran for three seasons before it got canceled.
6. Apocalypse Now
- Director: Ford Coppola
- Release Date: 1979
Synopsis:
From the title of this movie alone, war is marked by so much bloodshedding from all sides involved.
The portrayal of the Army Captain played by Martin Sheen who is on a mission to eliminate an American Colonel is not far from reality. The colonel had lost his mind after years of fighting in Vietnam leaving the remains of a man who has lost his mind.
This movie is not far from the experiences of many veterans especially those who lost everything including their sanity.
Apocalypse Now was a good financial investment as it made more than its budget of $31.5 million. After its release, the movie grossed a worldwide $286 million.
5. We Were Soldiers
- Director: Randal Wallace
- Release Date: 2002
Synopsis:
For many who witnessed the Viet war whether at the front or at home, it had devastating effects. We Were Soldiers captures the first major battle in the American phase.
The movie was adapted from the novel of a retired Lt General Hal Moore and the reporter, Joseph Galloway.
Even as both sides sent their soldiers to fight, those at home were left with the anxiety of waiting for their loved ones to return. The movie stars Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear among many others.
4. Full Metal Jacket
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Release Date: 1987
Synopsis:
Many Viet veterans consider this movie a gem regarding the ill-fated war. The realistic portrayal of the effects of the war and military life couldn’t have been portrayed in a better way on camera than this.
The movie made it to the box office at a gross of $120 million over a budget of $46.4 million.
In fact, any list about the best Viet movies must have Full Metal Jacket.
3. Platoon
- Director: Oliver Stone
- Released: 1986
- Award: Oscar Award for Best Director, Best Picture Statue
This movie provides a one on one experience in the life of those that truly experienced the ugly war. Platoon is notable for being a true story based on the experiences of Oliver Stone who was a soldier in the war. It is the first of Stone’s Vietnam trilogy.
Actors Charlie Sheen, Johnny Dep, Willem Dafoe, and others portray two sergeants with one good and the other bad on screen. Yet, it is not far from the reality of the duality of man in conflict.
Platoon was a commercial success. It was made on a budget of $6 million but later raked in more with a domestic gross of #138.5 million.
See Also: All American Pie Movies From The First To The Last
2. Born of the Fourth of July
- Director: Oliver Stone
- Release Date: 1989
- Award: Oscar Award for Best Director, Two Golden Globe, Two Academy Awards
Synopsis
If movies were to be seen as relics, then here is one. Born of the Fourth of July is another Oliver Stone’s perspective of the war. The movie gives a background of his activism against the war.
While most films capture the combats in Vietnam, this movie shows the return of soldiers into a society that changed in their absence. Tom Cruise’s role as Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran returning with lots of challenges like post-traumatic Disorder and depression is understandable to Viet veterans.
Initially, the film had a budget of $17.8 million but after its release, it had a domestic gross of $70 million which was quite good. It was later discovered that the film had a worldwide gross of over $300 million.
1. The Deer Hunter
- Director: Michael Cimino
- Released Date: 1978
- Awards: Oscar Award for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor
Synopsis:
The 1978 film is widely regarded as the greatest Viet film, while this is arguable, it is a fact that the movie is a must-watch. Notably, three friends who grew up hunting deer in their Pennsylvania neighborhood thought they could use the same tactics to help their country in the war, reality proved to be different.
After they were redeployed to Vietnam, their reality quickly changed to a fight for survival when they found themselves in the hands of the Vietcong.
They had to play Russian Roulet to entertain their captors. This film is an epic for any list of best Viet movies.
The film grossed $49 million dollars at the Box office on a budget of $15 million making it a successful war film.
