Not the Way It Was: Spike Lee’s Shallow Film on Viet Nam

It is now 2:00AM in Portland, Oregon. I just got through  watching Spike Lee’s 2hr. and 35min. film on Viet Nam. I have two words to describe this film:  EXTREMELY SHALLOW.

I was very disappointed in Spike Lee. I thought he had more depth. Not only did he make the Vietnamese  in the film look and act stupid, but he  made the five black actors playing  five black soldiers look and act superficial.

I “served” ( and I use that word loosely ) with black soldiers in Viet Nam. I knew some of them very well. Many of them were medics. I my opinion, none of those black soldiers would have liked this film.

It did not help the cause of Black History, as so many young people, black and white, are probably going to give this film a lot of credence.

As a Viet Nam veteran, this film was an  embarrassment.  Spike Lee did not get this film right. The main actor, Delroy Lindo, who  is well known in Hollywood, played the part of an American soldier who hated ” Gooks.”

On top of that, the soldier he played  wore a baseball cap that had this  written on it: “Make America Great Again.”

That part of the story was utterly absurd, along with the gold they were trying to get  back to the U.S.  You would have to see the movie to understand.

The only part of the movie that I felt had some credibility was the historical content of what  was happening in the U.S. during the time  period of this film.  Too bad, Spike Lee just didn’t get it. Too bad, a lot of people are going to think this film depicts the way it was.

Too bad, there was a lot of killing in this movie at the expense of the Vietnamese. Too bad, the Vietnamese were disrespected by this American made movie.

Too bad I watched this film, thinking it might have some historical substance. Too bad a close friend of mine in Viet Nam  who was a black medic had to die as a result of being in Viet Nam. Rest In Peace Willie Hemphill. I’m glad you never saw this film.