Fathers. Brothers. Husbands & Sons.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, Chris Klein, Keri Russell, Barry Pepper, Duong Don, Ryan Hurst, Robert Bagnell

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off, and I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together. So help me, God." - Lt. Col. Hal Moore

Why watch this? This is another excellent Vietnam War film - and the bloody battle in the la Drang Valley.

Plot Summary: The film depicts the first major battle between US forces and the North Vietnamese Army in the Ia Drang Valley in November 1965. Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore leads his battalion into a fight against a much larger enemy force. The film also shows the impact of the battle on the soldiers' families back home, as they await news.

Dad's Preview: This effort has been praised for its realism. I know a Vietnam helicopter pilot and he agrees. For today's movie audience, that can be hard to take. Regardless, these stories need to be seen. Mel Gibson is Lt. Col. Hal Moore, the leader of a battalion sent into an early battle in Vietnam. They walk into a trap and are slaughtered. This film covers the bravery of these soldiers as they hold off attacks, so that they can evacuate the casualties.

Icon Productions, Wheelhouse Ent.; Paramount Pictures