During the Vietnam War, a village that American forces are using to spy on the Ho Chi Minh Trail has its sacred elephant killed by the North Vietnamese Army because they were cooperating with the Americans. The villagers need an elephant for a ceremony that will occur within the week. Captain Sam Cahill, an easygoing man who is heading home, and his hotheaded replacement Captain TC Doyle scrounge up another elephant with the help of sneaky supply chief warrant officer David Poole, luckless farmboy Lawrence Farley, and short-timer Harvey Ashford, and transport it across South Vietnam to get it to the village on time, running into all sorts of transport problems, personality conflicts, and an NVA squad that wants the Americans out of the village. To keep the loyalty of a village during the Vietnam war, a U.S. Army officer and his unit struggle to deliver it a live elephant. Back in the mid-90s, my wife and I decided we needed to spice up our marriage, so we began doing a bi-weekly "date night." We'd go out to eat at the local Golden Corral then go to the theatre to see a film. On our first "date night," we chose to see Disney's Operation Dumbo Drop, mainly based on the cast. I'm a huge lifelong fan of Danny Glover (Predator 2, anyone?!) and my wife absolutely loves Ray Liotta (a little too much, I might add - hence the need to spice up our marriage - wocka wocka!).<br/><br/>So we walked into the theatre with high expectations, and they were exceeded. This film takes place during the Vietnam War (and is by far the most accurate depiction of wartime I've seen since M*A*S*H*), but if you're not a war-film buff, don't let that hold you back. The characters played by Liotta, Glover, and Denis Leary (Who's the Man?, Demolition Man) are on a mission to - get this! - deliver a live elephant across South Vietnam. Hilarity ensues.<br/><br/>I won't give the rest of the film away, but let me leave you with this: Liotta, Glover and Leary deliver the finest acting of their respective careers. My wife and I absolutely adored this film. We laughed, we cried, we held hands the entire time. Had it not been for this breathtaking film, my wife and I might have gone our separate ways by now, and who knows who she'd be with today (maybe Ray Liotta!).<br/><br/>So what are you waiting for? Add this to your Netflix queue or take a trip to your local video rental center, because this movie is Operation MUST-SEE! Remember M.A.S.H? <br/><br/>Did you like it? <br/><br/>Then you'll probably like this one too! <br/><br/>A truly American movie that has a certain European flair. <br/><br/>No unnecessary deaths, a lot of human interaction, self deprecatory humor, admission of guilt, characters who out-grow their initial convictions… <br/><br/>Some daring stunts, a few rather foreseeable but not disappointing plot changes… <br/><br/>Not brilliant but an agreeable movie to watch with your entire family. <br/><br/>And, most important of all, you'll end up wondering about 'why don't we all think some more about the consequences of our actions?'
Vinfla replied
376 weeks ago