I was fond of this movie when I watched it many years ago, but there was always something about it that made me uneasy. I dragged it out recently and watched it again, and the light dawned.
This bunch of National Guardsmen is the most motley assortment of flaky, loony, miserable characters ever put onscreen, and after what they do to violate the Cajuns' homestead, you can't help but root for the Cajuns! Yes, I cheered every time another of these louts bought the farm. It's like a bargain basement version of Deliverance, except we're cheering for the other side.
There are also many unlikely moments in the film. When the guardsmen "borrow" the canoes, before shoving off Poole orders his men to remove their helmets and "clip to them your belts." Firstly, there's no easy way to clip a helmet to a belt. Secondly, just why would he make such an order? The answer is clear: for plot reasons!! It makes it more credible when Poole gets shot in the head. In terms of military procedure it's completely senseless.
Later, on their interminable slog through the swamp, they encounter, in prominent view, the leg traps meant to maim them, which have been set by the Cajuns. Now, Cajuns may be simple folk, but they are not so dumb as to set ABOVE the water line, in clear view, a trap meant for people.
One of the guardsmen disobeys an order from Casper, and obeys only when Hardin puts a knife to his throat. Then they go on as if nothing had happened. In any real military situation the disobedient man would have been immediately placed under arrest. Later the group starts fighting about who's going to be the leader, as if chain of command were something to be argued about, like kids deciding who's going to captain the ball team. Granted that this is the Guard, where one does not expect the standards of the regular army to be in play, but still, this is not how the military works. But it does make the movie work. Later, Spencer and Hardin, knowing they are being hunted, both bed down to sleep without setting watch turns.
By the way, Hardin would be a more believable character if every other word out of his mouth was not the F bomb.
The best scenes are at the end, when we get to hear some good zydeco music from the Balfa brothers, and to see what's involved in slaughtering a pig. However, there is too much in this movie that defies credibility to make it even halfway believable.
This bunch of National Guardsmen is the most motley assortment of flaky, loony, miserable characters ever put onscreen, and after what they do to violate the Cajuns' homestead, you can't help but root for the Cajuns! Yes, I cheered every time another of these louts bought the farm. It's like a bargain basement version of Deliverance, except we're cheering for the other side.
There are also many unlikely moments in the film. When the guardsmen "borrow" the canoes, before shoving off Poole orders his men to remove their helmets and "clip to them your belts." Firstly, there's no easy way to clip a helmet to a belt. Secondly, just why would he make such an order? The answer is clear: for plot reasons!! It makes it more credible when Poole gets shot in the head. In terms of military procedure it's completely senseless.
Later, on their interminable slog through the swamp, they encounter, in prominent view, the leg traps meant to maim them, which have been set by the Cajuns. Now, Cajuns may be simple folk, but they are not so dumb as to set ABOVE the water line, in clear view, a trap meant for people.
One of the guardsmen disobeys an order from Casper, and obeys only when Hardin puts a knife to his throat. Then they go on as if nothing had happened. In any real military situation the disobedient man would have been immediately placed under arrest. Later the group starts fighting about who's going to be the leader, as if chain of command were something to be argued about, like kids deciding who's going to captain the ball team. Granted that this is the Guard, where one does not expect the standards of the regular army to be in play, but still, this is not how the military works. But it does make the movie work. Later, Spencer and Hardin, knowing they are being hunted, both bed down to sleep without setting watch turns.
By the way, Hardin would be a more believable character if every other word out of his mouth was not the F bomb.
The best scenes are at the end, when we get to hear some good zydeco music from the Balfa brothers, and to see what's involved in slaughtering a pig. However, there is too much in this movie that defies credibility to make it even halfway believable.