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The 1987 Vietnam War film Hamburger Hill has been hailed as an ‘underrated’ and ‘forgotten masterpiece’ by viewers who say it rivals acclaimed classics like Platoon
An “underrated” film depicting the Vietnam War has been hailed as a forgotten classic. Hamburger Hill (1987) chronicles the infamous battle, zeroing in on a May 1969 offensive led by the US Army’s 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, 101st Airborne.
Hill 937, a ridgeline on the Dong Ap Bia mountain in central Vietnam, became ground zero for a brutal 10-day confrontation between American and allied Vietnamese forces against the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN). The score was crafted by iconic musician and film composer Philip Glass, celebrated for his work on films such as The Truman Show and Errol Morris documentaries The Thin Blue Line and The Fog of War.
Directed by John Irvin, the film features Michael Boatman, Dylan McDermott, Courtney B. Vance, Steven Weber, Tim Quill, and includes an early on-screen role from future Hollywood icon Don Cheadle. One viewer on Rotten Tomatoes remarked: “A very incredible war film that is a bit underrated and has outstanding war elements to it.”
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Another critic argued the film warrants placement among the most celebrated cinematic portrayals of the brutal conflict, reports the Irish Star. “Loved it, fantastic, can’t believe I’d never seen it before,” they noted, proclaiming it “Better than Platoon,” the 1986 masterpiece helmed by Oliver Stone.
One critic referred to the movie as “forgotten almost as a forgotten Vietnam War film because, when people talk about great Vietnam War films, they mention Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket, but they don’t mention this film”.
Another chimed in, “One of the most underrated films about Vietnam and one of the best.”
An IMDb user pointed out that it’s “often overlooked amongst the more well known Vietnam films to be released in the late eighties”, such as Platoon and Full Metal Jacket, “probably because it didn’t have a well known director or famous actors” like those blockbusters.
“This is a shame as it is an excellent film and seemed the most realistic of the three films,” they added. With an 18 rating from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for intense bloody violence and horror, Hamburger Hill might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
However, fans on Rotten Tomatoes rate it 73% on the Popcornmeter, with it scoring a solid 100% on the critics Tomatometer. One viewer shared how realistic they found it writing, “My uncle was with the 101st and was in this battle. He said that is the way the war really was. He said its very accurate and the way the movie showed the battles on the hill was just as real as he was back there fighting. It was too realistic for him.
“He got a little PTSD from watching it, but he was ok. So if you want to see how the battle for that hill really took place, he said this is it! He said yes they got hit by friendly fire from US helicopters, he said they had everything and it was very accurate. I watched the movie with him, he was tense the whole time. Great movie.”
Another enthused, “This war movie was really good. Dylan McDermott, Courtney B. Vance, Michael Boatman, Don Cheadle, Harry O’Reilly, Steven Weber, and the rest of the cast did a great job in this movie. This true story about a platoon of soldiers that took over Hill 937 in the A Shau Valley during the Vietnam War was dramatic, action-packed, and intense. It’s about completing the mission and realizing the issues you’ll face along the way. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, check it out sometime. It’s a must see.”
Hamburger Hill is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
