- The original UK cinema release was cut by 44 seconds with edits to the decapitation scene, the stabbing of Michael and a scene where a prostitute is tortured with a soldering iron. Video versions were cut by 3m 38 secs with further cuts to the cinema edits, and additional cuts to slow-motion footage of Vietnam killing scenes and the removal of an entire sequence where John makes mercury-filled dum-dum bullets. The Synergy DVD released in the UK in 2000 was treated much more leniently and was cut by only 22s, with the opening beheading and the prostitute's torture still edited. The film was finally passed completely uncut in the UK by the BBFC in 2004, since the offending scenes were no longer judged to be harmful by 2004 standards.
- Finnish VHS version is cut over 10 minutes, it's missing:
- The infamous decapitation (later on the film, an ultra-fast glimpse of this scene is shown uncut in a flashback). 2. A Nam-soldier walking from the bleeding torso body wiping his machete. 3. A Nam soldier trying to remove a wire from his bleeding throat. 4. Michael shooting a Nam soldier. 5. A Nam soldier fusing in flames. 6. A Nam soldier running to water in flames. 7. Ginty shooting the Nam-leader who is in the water (later on the film, this same shot is shown in an even more graphic angle in a flashback, completely uncut!). 8. The "Ghetto Ghouls" beating Michael (almost completely cut, all the actual beating deleted).
- On British and German Blu-rays, a picture (hanging on a wall at the chicken house) showing a male genitalia was blurred. Ironically, the included making-of shows the non-blurred picture.
- Original theatrical and video release of the film had cuts to the more graphic sequences to avoid an X-rating. The uncut version was finally released on DVD and later Blu-ray.
- This film was banned for theatrical release in Norway, but the 1982 Norwegian video release was cut in the opening scene with the beheading, and when Michael Jefferson is violently attacked by the thugs. Later video releases, starting with the DVD release in 2002, are completely uncut and based on the "Unrated Director's Cut".
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