Still from Hamburger Hill (1987) (Image: Paramount Pictures)
A lesser-known Vietnam War film that fans hail as “more realistic” than classics like Platoon and Full Metal Jacket is streaming free in the UK. Hamburger Hill (1987) is set during real-life battle of the same name, and follows an American military assault in May 1969 by the the US army’s 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, 101st Airborne.
The action takes place on Hill 937, a ridge of the Dong Ap Bia mountain in central Vietnam, which became a brutal battleground amid a 10-day fight between American forces and the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN). The war epic stars Michael Boatman, Dylan McDermott, Courtney B. Vance, Steven Weber, Tim Quill, and Don Cheadle, in an early breakout role.
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Fans say it’s among the best films about the Vietnam War. (Image: Paramount Pictures)
It was directed by John Irvin (known for films like The Dogs of War and Ghost Story, and written by James Carabatsos.
Fans continue to heap praise upon the film, one person writing on IMDb said Hamburger hill is “often overlooked amongst the more well known Vietnam films to be released in the late eighties”, like Platoon and Full Metal Jacket, which are often named among the greatest war films ever made.
“This is a shame as it is an excellent film and seemed the most realistic of the three films,” they added.
One fan writing on Rotten Tomatoes said: “Loved it, fantastic, can’t believe I’d never seen it before”. They added that in their opinion, it’s better than Platoon (1986), which is regularly named among the best war films ever made.
A second called it a “must see authentic Vietnam war movie” that’s “on the same level as Platoon or Full Metal Jacket no doubt about it”.
The movie has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. (Image: Paramount Pictures)
A fourth said Irvin” skillfully balances the mile-a-minute action with the deep-rooted dialogue amongst its complex characters, who by the way are wonderfully rendered by their actors…almost on par with ‘Apocalypse Now.'”
A second said it’s “highly recommended” but warned “you need a strong stomach to see it”.
The film has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, which reflects the percentage of approved critics who have given it a positive score, albeit from only 12 reviews.
But it also has a 73% on the site’s Popcornmeter, based on more than 25,000 ratings from general audiences, showing the high regard in which its held.
One fan who reviewed the film on Letterboxd said they always saw the as a bit of a forgotten Vietnam film”, but despite not getting the plaudits others do, it’s “easily one of the strongest” movies about the conflict.
The film is rated 18 and features contains strong bloody violence and horror, so viewer discretion is advised.
Hamburger Hill is streaming free on Plex with ads. You can also watch it on Amazon Prime with a Lionsgate+ subscription. It can also be rented or bought on Amazon Prime, as well as Apple TV, Sky Store, and YouTube.
