1980s
War movies from the 1980′s
The Iron Triangle (1989)
I'm really torn on this one. 1989's The Iron Triangle pits one Captain Keene (Beau Bridges) against a young VietCong fighter, Ho (Liem Whatley) in a different look at the Vietnam war. The story is based on the captured diary of a VC soldier, who took a US officer under his wing after said... »
The Beast (1988)
In 1988, the Soviets began their withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending their bloody occupation, and indeed ended their own "Vietnam" if you will. The Mujahideen had won (or maybe the Soviets just lost,) and America cheered at the Red Menace's defeat. In The Beast, we get a glimpse into that conflict. The film focuses on... »
Uncommon Valor (1983)
Sometime in the 1980's, and I can't remember what brought it on, there was an onslaught of Vietnam MIA movies. You had Chuck Norris in the aptly named "Mission in Action" series, and how could you forget Rambo: First Blood Part II (no matter how hard you try!)... ...and then there was 1983's Uncommon... »
The Big Red One (1980)
There are some movies which are called classics, and which could have been classics, and which just fall short of the mark. The Big Red One is just one of those films, and falls under all three categories. The cast is a line up of past, present, and future (for 1980) stars, including war... »
The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988)
The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission is the last in a string of made-for-television sequels to the venerable 1967 classic "The Dirty Dozen." Having not seen the rest of the "films" which make up these broadcast sequels, I have to judge this by itself, and in comparison to its namesake. And in that respect... »
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
I am in a world of shit, yes. But I am alive, and I am not afraid. Stanley Kubrick's 1987 masterpiece Full Metal Jacket is a somewhat bizarre animal. Is it a hardcore war movie? Is it an anti-war movie? Is it a scathing parody of nearly any war movie that came before it? ... »
Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
And then there was... Grenada? Lost in the midst of "the big ones" was this tiny little intervention in the early 1980's. 1986's Heartbreak Ridge ends up focusing on that particular conflict in the end, but takes us through one platoon's journey from slackerdom to full-out Marines. Seasoned veteran of Korea and Vietnam, Gunnery... »
WarGames (1983)
Quite possibly the first "hacker" movie of our times, WarGames shows us what can happen when we put our trust in these new-fangled computing machinery thingies, and then give them the power to destroy the planet. OK, so maybe thats overstating things a bit. WarGames is still a fun romp through the world of... »
Glory (1989)
The US Civil War is a period that hasn't received as much attention as World War II, or Vietnam, but the few films or miniseries that have come out about it have been nothing short of great. 1989's Glory continues that legacy. Starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, and Morgan Freeman, its the... »
Platoon (1986)
Much has been said about Oliver Stone's 1986 Platoon, culminating in a Best Picture Academy Award that year. It's the story of young Chris (Charlie Sheen), fresh off the plane into the shit. And he winds up in all the usual Vietnam situations. Firefight in the jungle while on patrol, getting high back at... »
