This movie is notable as being John Woo's first gun-fight movie. It is an extremely brutal and nihilistic war movie, at times more gut wrenching than BULLET IN THE HEAD. The movie centers around a small group of mercenaries who are sent to capture a drug lord in the golden triangle. The body count is massive and the action is unrelenting. Although it lacks the finesse of the director's later movies it has some brilliant scenes such as a swamp fist-fight against the manhunters, a torture scene straight out of a H.P. Lovecraft image, a hilarious gambling scene, and a sniper shot in the eye through the scope. This scene was imitated later for SNIPER and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN but is done best here. I would recommend this movie to all John Woo fans, especially those who liked BULLET IN THE HEAD, and Copolla's APOCALYPSE NOW.
Review of Heroes Shed No Tears
