Official Synopsis:
Vietnam, 1969. Hill 937. 10 Days. 70% Casualties. Those are the facts - this is the story. The men of Bravo Company are facing a battle that's all uphill... up Hamburger Hill. Fourteen war-weary soldiers are battling for a mud-covered mound of earth so named because it chews up soldiers like chopped meat. They are fighting for their country, their fellow soldiers and their lives. War is hell, but this is worse. Hamburger Hill tells it the way it was, the way it really was. It's a raw, gritty and totally unrelenting dramatic depiction of one of the fiercest battles of America's bloodiest war. Dodge the gunfire. Get caught behind enemy lines. Go into battle beside the brave young men who fought and died. Feel their desperation and futility. This happened. Hamburger Hill - war at its worst, men at their best.

  
Our Take:
I can’t imagine what warranted a 20^th Anniversary Edition of Hamburger Hill, a Vietnam war movie that most people don’t even remember. I suppose you could argue that Don Cheadle, Dylan McDermott, and Steven Weber (who all star in it) are big enough stars nowadays that there is renewed interest in it, but I haven’t heard a ton of people clamoring for a re-release. That being said, however, Hamburger Hill turns out to be a surprisingly good Vietnam film. While not quite on the same level as a Platoon or a Full Metal Jacket, it takes its subject matter seriously, creates real characters, and has surprisingly good action scenes for a film that presumably didn’t have a giant budget.

What the film reminds me of a lot is the old TV show Tour of Duty, which is a good thing because I’m a huge fan of that show. Hamburger Hill has a similar feel and aesthetic, although clearly on a larger scale and budget. The film doesn’t do anything to reinvent the war genre, it just presents an interesting story of bravery against seemingly insurmountable odds. And, you know, sometimes that’s all I need from a good war film.

There are a few extra features included on the DVD.

- Audio Commentary – With director Jim Carabatsos, and supporting actors Anthony Barrile, Harry O'Reilly, and Danny O'Shea.
- Hamburger Hill: The Appearance Of Reality (17 minutes) – A solid making-of with cast & crew interviews.
- Medics In Vietnam (6 minutes) – Interviews with historians about real Vietnam medics.
- Interactive Vietnam War Timeline.

Hamburger Hill: 20^th Anniversary Edition isn’t really the type of DVD that will attract a lot of fanfare, but if you like war or action movies and this one passed you by two decades ago, it’s definitely worth a look.

Overall Picture:
Movie: B
DVD: B

- Mike Spring

Editor