Casualties of War

1989
R
1h 53m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

49K

YOUR RATING

Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn in Casualties of War (1989)

Play trailer1:56

1 Video

98 Photos

Action Crime Drama War

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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

49K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 5 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 1:56

Casualties of War

Photos98

+ 91

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
For 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.

Goofs
During 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.

Quotes
Eriksson: Everybody's acting like we can do anything and it don't matter what we do. Maybe we gotta' be extra careful because maybe it matters more than we even know.

Crazy credits
A mid-credits update is presented on Hatcher, explaining that his conviction was overturned.

Alternate versions
The Extended Cut is 6 minutes longer than the original and contains 2 extra scenes.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Casualties of War/Rude Awakening/Uncle Buck/The Abyss/A Chorus of Disapproval (1989)

Soundtracks
Everybody Loves Somebody
Written by Irving Taylor & Ken Lane

User reviews161

Review

Featured review

8/10

There's hard hitting, and then there's Casualties of War

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.