Good movie but grossly overrated

good back-story, and good acting

Brilliant and touching

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

It's 1989 Stuttgart, W Germany. Specialist Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix) is a schemer in the 317th Supply Battalion on Theodore Roosevelt US Army Base. As many soldiers at the time, he was given a choice between jail and the Army. He sells Army supplies to the black market. He cooks heroine as a middle man. His commander Colonel Berman (Ed Harris) is clueless. He sleeps with Berman's wife (Elizabeth McGovern). When drugged up tankers destroy a gas station killing two truck drivers, Elwood takes advantage by stealing the weapons in the trucks. Then a new Top Sergeant Lee (Scott Glenn) arrives and he zeros in on Elwood. Elwood tries to get back at him by dating his daughter Robyn Lee (Anna Paquin).This is an outlandish black comedy. For the first half, I was rooting against Elwood. It could be more fun if Elwood is a funnier character. Joaquin has a dead-pan delivery. This movie could be funnier. However, it's a good satirical poke at the military. Despite a couple of questionable moments with Robyn, the supporting actors are all great. I like the spiraling chaos around Elwood and what happens to him in the crazy ending.

The author has taken Robert Stone's haunting "Dog Soldiers" and moved it to peacetime, Europe, and the tiresomely predictable FTA perspective of a minor English prof. It is 3.2 beer at best. Stick to "Mash" or "Catch 22" for this kind of thing."Buffalo Soldiers" is a term of honor coined by the Plains Indians to describe brave black soldiers they met in battle of the US Cavalry on the 10th Cav and other black units because of their nappy hair. Apparently the author hasn't a clue about what the term means.The cast does its best, but the stereotypes kill the film early on. It is tedious, never generates any real tension, and is as predictable as a Roadrunner cartoon. The only difference is they are a lot more fun to watch.

I may not have understood the entire story, but I can certainly see the black comedy and drama of this (today) significant film. It is 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the world will be made safe with the new world order, but in Stuttgart, West Germany soldier Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix) still sees some battles ahead. He and his battalion make a living and eliminate boredom (not for ambition) by making their own smack. The only other thing that also stands out the story is Elwood's love with Robyn Lee (X-Men's Anna Paquin) who loves the feeling of falling (diving into a pool), which Elwood doesn't, he has a constant nightmare about it. Also starring Ed Harris as Colonel Berman, Scott Glenn as Sergeant Lee, Elizabeth McGovern as Mrs. Berman and Michael Pena as Garcia. The best sequence for me is the guys drunk driving a tank through a town, creating chaos. Good!

The US Army is depicted as drug users, that's very kind, these people are murderers. Thought it was a good movie, can you image the stuff that the yanks are getting up to now in Iraq. Gang members signed up, people mentally unfit even for the Yanks getting into their armed forces wow, when this film was originally meant to come out all this might have looked like a bit of a lark but it is really dark when you think of what they will be up to now. Good movie that made you feel some sympathy for bad people. Would be real go d to see what they are up to. Seen pictures of yank soldiers clearly displaying gang and far right tattoos numerous times on the television - feel so sorry for those foolish farm boys that might be joining out of some form of misdirected patriotism. Loved the Ed Harris character captures the type of sycophant that rises to top in organization like that - nice to see him do good in the end though.