During the Vietnam War, a soldier finds himself the outsider of his own squad when they unnecessarily kidnap a female villager, for their sexual enjoyment.During the Vietnam War, a soldier finds himself the outsider of his own squad when they unnecessarily kidnap a female villager, for their sexual enjoyment.During the Vietnam War, a soldier finds himself the outsider of his own squad when they unnecessarily kidnap a female villager, for their sexual enjoyment.
- Awards
- 1 win & 5 nominations
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFor Michael J. Fox's shots, Sean Penn would be telling him that he was just a little television actor and nothing more, to get genuine reactions for director Brian De Palma.
- GoofsDuring the firefight on the bridge, after intense firing, one soldier reaches over to pull another soldier to get started down the bridge by grabbing the muzzle of his gun. That act would create severe burns on his palm.
- Crazy creditsA mid-credits update is presented on Hatcher, explaining that his conviction was overturned.
- Alternate versionsThe Extended Cut is 6 minutes longer than the original and contains 2 extra scenes.
- SoundtracksEverybody Loves Somebody
Written by Irving Taylor & Ken Lane
Featured review
CASUALTIES OF WAR tells the excruciating true story of a squad of American soldiers during the Vietnam War, who kidnap and rape a young Vietnamese girl in the name of fun. The story is told through the youthful and innocent eyes of Michael J. Fox, in a rare dramatic performance that may be his career-best.
Films like this can hardly be enjoyed, but CASUALTIES OF WAR proves to be unmissable entertainment and one of the harshest war stories out there; also, one of the best. It's a bit like watching a film of a train wreck, where you can't tear yourself away from what's happening and what you know is going to happen. The tragic, soul-searing story is one of the most moving I've ever seen.
A film like this needs a great director to tell it, and de Palma is that director. He wisely lets the story tell itself for the most part, but he can't resist incorporating a couple of flourishes (like the POV sequence) that remind us of his skill as an auteur. The cast is great, too, particularly the newbie actors (John C. Reilly and John Leguizano) playing soldiers and Sean Penn as the hateful sergeant. Understandably, Thuy Thu Le has the toughest role, and it's one she walks away from with her head held high; if ever an actress deserved an Oscar nod, it's her.
Films like this can hardly be enjoyed, but CASUALTIES OF WAR proves to be unmissable entertainment and one of the harshest war stories out there; also, one of the best. It's a bit like watching a film of a train wreck, where you can't tear yourself away from what's happening and what you know is going to happen. The tragic, soul-searing story is one of the most moving I've ever seen.
A film like this needs a great director to tell it, and de Palma is that director. He wisely lets the story tell itself for the most part, but he can't resist incorporating a couple of flourishes (like the POV sequence) that remind us of his skill as an auteur. The cast is great, too, particularly the newbie actors (John C. Reilly and John Leguizano) playing soldiers and Sean Penn as the hateful sergeant. Understandably, Thuy Thu Le has the toughest role, and it's one she walks away from with her head held high; if ever an actress deserved an Oscar nod, it's her.
- Leofwine_draca
- May 6, 2013
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Die Verdammten des Krieges
- Filming locations
- Dolores Park, San Francisco, California, USA(where Eriksson gets off the train at the end)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $22,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $18,671,317
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,201,261
- Aug 20, 1989
- Gross worldwide
- $18,671,317
- Runtime1 hour 53 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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