As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

On recent viewing, I have been surprised by how well the film reflected upon individual Australians' involvement in The Vietnam War. It also, through a couple of monologue from old hand, Graham Kennedy, dispassionately reflected upon the ultimate futility of Australia's involvement.Perhaps it's greatest strength was documenting the Australian male character of the times without reverting to a "lovable larrikins" approach. The battle scenes are done without heroics or dramatics. There is a matter of factness about the activities and reactions of the unit that makes them seem all the more realistic.The boredom, routines and irritations of jungle warfare are there as well as the odd angry shot that punctuates guerilla warfare. Loved the low-key ending which resisted taking aim at the unjust treatment of the returning vets but did reflect their estrangement as a presentiment of their future problems in readjusting.

This movie is quite simply outstanding. The writing, acting and general production talent are first rate. If you're looking for non-stop intense war action scenes and high drama, this isn't it, nor what the subject of the movie is about although some of that is there. Ultimately, it is about enduring hardship and perseverance. I saw this movie on cable 35 years ago and it has stuck with me since then. I also watched it a few days ago and found it has much greater insight for me through my own life experiences, now that I myself am a veteran. The dialogue really makes this movie the gem that it is. Funny, satirical, and containing very harsh truths about military service and society in general. All around well done.

ignore all the reviews saying this is a good film, personally i found it to be nothing like what was portrayed in full metal jacket, platoon or any of the other Vietnam films in fact it felt like an old dads army film complete with bad jokes and terrible music. All the jokes made in the film were really lame and staged and no effort was made to give any of the characters in the film any character, i didn't even know any of their names. The movie had no plot and to top it off the music at the end is absolutely shocking i had to turn it down and watch it in silence before actually turning it off early and cursing having wasted an hour and a half of my life on it. I then apologised to my friends for putting through such a lame movie and we all laughed and agreed it was the biggest load of crap we had all ever watched. VERY FRUSTRATING

This film is rarely shown, but is available on video if you hunt around. It is a minor classic and stars a young Bryan Brown and a Graham Kennedy before his crow imitating newsreader days.Whether it portrays the SAS realistically is a moot point, but this was the Australian SAS in the late sixties/early seventies and reference to Australian Books such as the "Phantoms of the Jungle", suggest that the Swanbourne troops went through Vietnam in the way portrayed.The film is worth watching not for the overdone anti-war message but the black humour and jokes. The presentation of the shoebox contraption to the pardre is worth watching in itself.