Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

First of all, I feel I should say that I am not against the idea of a movie praising U.S. soldiers who were imprisoned by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. These soldiers suffered greatly, and their stories are stories that need to be told. "The Hanoi Hilton" was obviously an attempt to tell these soldiers' stories, but it is greatly uneven. One big problem is that the movie has a number of heavy-handed touches, namely with certain characters. It's not just with some of the communists (the prison warden, a visiting Cuban military officer), but also with liberal western characters (a visiting journalist, a Jane Fonda clone). The movie also takes way too long to get to the 1970s, and then it starts moving so quickly that the viewer barely gets a chance to absorb the now quickly unfolding scenes. And Michael Moriarty, while giving good performances in other works, is really miscast here. He seems too wimpish and meek to be a military person of high rank.On the other hand, every so often there is a really good touch in the movie. The period detail is pretty good for the most part; real P.O.W.s praised the look of the movie. Some of the acting by the mostly no-name cast is pretty convincing, and there are a few scenes (a torture sequence with the audio cut out, the P.O.W.s having a Christmas dinner) that are really well done and have genuine power. So the movie is far from terrible, but it also isn't exceptional. You may learn some things from this movie, but I have a feeling that if you want to learn what it was really like for these unfortunate men, you might find a book on the subject matter more informative.

1. This movie was not released widely due to several factors I learned from a producer and actor in the film. a. The 'woman' who has been described as Hanoi Jane was a composite of several though she has been claimed to be Jane, alone. b. The 'slanderous' portrayal of 'Jane' was a concern to backers who felt they could lose $ in a lawsuit. c. Most people seeing it supported the facts and events, lawsuits and Jane, aside. 2. There were Chi-Coms,Cubans, N.Koreans, East Euro/East German types who were minimized in the film. a. These inquisitors conducted limited bio-chem acts against the POWs. b. These enemy military murdered POWs and have never been held accountable due to politics of the time and the present. c. The 'turned' POWs were either tortured or compliant. NO one could withstand the tortures. 3. To present day, techniques experienced are still used in resistance training in the US military, as well as our enemies. a. The use of physical and mental torture by our enemies then to the present time also is used and sometimes revealed in movies. 4. Hanoi Hilton is a good movie overall due to the actors used and their intent to portray accurately, the conditions of the POWs. a. While there are some flubs and heartstrings tugged, the movie was designed to show the human condition that made our enemies realize that we hold (any) human life in value. b. That we are willing to sacrifice dozens of our own to rescue one, to never leave anyone behind. 5. I learned that first hand on special missions, but especially Desert One in 1980. My crew was lost on the EC130E that was destroyed. a. The mission was not a failure. b. It showed our need to maintain the high standards of military preparedness vs weakness. c. We were willing to go full force to rescue Americans we never knew or met. That is the difference between those who oppress and those who free. 6. Hanoi Hilton should be shown to high school kids as well as those in training for military, civil, corporate employment. 7. Michael Moriarty was the right choice and voice. He was both humane and a leader. As an actor, he made sure that we knew it wasn't just a role. The man is someone I'd call a best friend. Get a copy of the film. Share it with family and friends.

DTUCKER.86 says it all. I served in the Army from June '73 to '76, so I had the misfortune to miss serving my Country with the true heroes. I also do a lot of reading, own hundreds of books, all non-fiction (with the exception of the only fiction book I own, The Warren Commission Report on the assassination of J.F.K.). Included in my collection are P.O.W. stories (any war) and these men went through HELL! Jane Fonda should have been THERE! Did any of you know how many of these HEROES were starved to death? The Dinks did not claim it was torture. They claimed, "no torture" because these Heroes (according to them) were "War criminals", so they were not covered under the Geneva Accords. Vietnam signed the G.A's, but in order to get away with torture, they claimed these Heroes were not soldiers, but "criminals". Anyway, I could go on. We cannot forget the men who may still be alive there. Our government never has cared. Shameful. I have never seen the movie, but I will purchase it when /if I ever come across it. Please, people, when you meet ANY veterans, please look them in the eye, shake their hands, and THANK them for the good work they did. I do, and will always do this. Vietnam vets are a forgotten breed, got shot at and hit, and #@%& on and hit when they got home. Jane Fonda COULD have been executed for what she did, but "Daddy" had a lot of pull and saved her. She half-heartedly apologized, too little, too late. Her agent probably told her it would be a good idea. Well, I intend to see this movie. Sorry about my rantings, but the Veterans out there understand and agree. Thank you all for your time.Also, "freidurchdietat" had some nasty things to say about this movie. Life in a P.O.W. camp is not an "Action Story" with p.o.w's shooting up communist captors. They weren't issued any weapons. Lucky to get a spoon. No, it was not intended for the "MTV Generation" but those "kids" should be required to watch it. "A big turnoff"? This movie is obviously way above your intelligence. Go back to "M.T.V.", your Chuck Norris hyper-action films, and leave the veterans alone. Better yet, run on down and join the Marine Corps. If you are lucky, maybe a D.I. will take you around back of the barracks and adjust your attitude. [email protected]

Very compelling and realistic portrayal of life as a N.Vietnam POW and how opinion at home affected their situation. You can read Jane Fonda's own broadcasts to verify that the "portrayal" of her and Tom Hayden was not a caricature. Few Americans understood the impact their views and actions had on American soldiers and POWs. There are several standout performances, especially by Moriarity, Pressman, Jones and "Starsky and Hutch" star,David Soul. Although intentionally episodic and semi-documentary in style-the period covered was after all, 9 years -the film is nonetheless compelling. However it's main goal seems to tell the story and not make great "film".This is not Mallick's " The Thin Red Line"(a superb, introspective film). H. Hilton's view that the strength of US military training and code of honor, the value and support of religion in tough times and it's admiration of the "average guy" is more in line with Scott's "Blackhawk Down" and Stephen Ambrose's influenced Speilberg film, "Saving Private Ryan" Neither of these films are as artistic as Mallicks-but all are true to the reality of the specific event.An interesting film to view in conjunction with the H.Hilton is the fictional and quite propagandist " Coming Home" starring Jane Fonda.In that film only Vets who denounced the war(nothing wrong with that)are given credibility. Fonda's husband in the film, Bruce Dern, is not only a joke as a soldier (his metal is for being shot in the rear end)but as a man-he has never given his wife an orgasm-that's left to hero Jon Voight, a paraplegic who renounces the war. Dern ultimately drowns himself. Talk about a loaded deck. No recognition in that film that an American GI who supports his country might have the character of any of the POWs in the Hanoi Hilton. These men were the "forgotten men" of the 60's/early 70's- The Hanoi Hilton was not at all popular at the box office and vilified by many in the Hollywood community when it was made-but it was ahead of it's time content-wise and quite brave for it.