angelsunchained Review of Welcome Home Soldier Boys

Welcome Home Soldier Boys (1971)

Shocking and Brutal Reflection of the Viet-Nam Homecoming

[8/10 · 12 March 2005]

The theme of this movie, Tracks with Dennis Hopper and Rolling Thunder with Bill Devane is that the American home-front and the public in general have no ideas about the horrors of the Viet-Nam War, and only by bringing the war "home", will the people back home understand the full violence of Nam. Strong stuff. This film depicts the homecoming of 4 combat weary U.S. Army Green Berets. They rent a car and travel across country; meeting different people, picking up and accidentally killing a girl, watching a high school basketball game, and being totally disillusioned with coming home. The ending is similar to the Dennis Hopper film, Tracks. However, where Tracks freeze-frames to a violent ending, Welcome Home, Soldier Boys takes itself to a more graphic conclusion. The ending scene of the four blood-crazed vets freeze-framed will leave a lasting impact. Raw, brutal, down-beat, yet well-acted and intense. If you're a fan of symbolism, Joe Don Baker, and Viet-Nam era movies, this movie is a must-see.