We Were Soldiers

WE WERE SOLDIERS- The opening sequence depicts French troops ambushed and defeated by NVA forces in the Vietnam War. After a brief fragment of dialogue between two officers, to familiarise the audience with two characters, the French, including the two officers are ambushed and killed. The decisive NVA victory sets up the the idea that the NVA are a powerful and formidable enemy, who the main characters must face later in film. This adds a sense of foreboding that is carried throughout the film, as the audience knows that a formidable enemy awaits the heroes.

In terms of camera work, the opening sequence is filmed handheld, adding intensity and realism, while immersing the audience in the scene, as it seems as if they are on the ground with the troops. This is a common technique in the war film genre. The sound is a sort of drum rhythm, but ultimately, it is the sounds of battle that prevail, adding to the realism and immersion once more. A large part of war films is realism, as they are based on historical events, it is deemed almost essential to capture the period realistically.