Nice people who rated this movie 10 stars don't have a clue about the Mexican War and if they were in my history class,I would flunk the lot. One critic heresaid, "This movie is worth fighting for." If it is, its because its a movie I would really fight against,because it gives a totally wrong recounting of the basic history of the conflict. The movie fas a storyline is well crafted and well cast and Tom Berenger does a great job as Sgt/Captaine Riley. Yet,like the movie JFK by Oliver Stone, the script writers really don't know their subject and make up things while making up things. This movie is told to achieve audience appeal and emotional involvement,something like a Star Wars movie. Both movies tell a story, and the problem of this movie like so many other "historical movies" is that uninformed movie goers buy into the basic premise. Hear of the "Stockhome Syndrome" where the kidnapped start to feel sympathy for the Kidnappers. This movie is a mix of accurate fact and fiction. The potato famine did not really get going till 1846 onward but the Irish deserters are described in 1846 America as Potato Famine rejects? The potato blight was not named, the Potato famine till many years later.The English government who was sovereign over Ireland would not even admit its existence till much later. Yet, "No Irish Need Apply" was a real fact and a million Irish died of starvation. On the other side the 1846 Army was not half Irish. Does it matter if history can be used in a creative manner? Judging from the reviews here, yes it does matter because the basic facts of "The Mexican War" are terrible muddled here. I thought that Riley's question, "Do you know the difference between deserters and traitors was a great line and a good question. I know but did the audience? Have your heard of the Goliad Massacre, you would if you were Texan, how about the execution of the men of the Alamo. At the end of the movie some of the Irish of the San Patrico Btn are hung. It's accurate. I have no sympathy for men who deserted to the enemy to fight for the Mexicans. My people help found Maryland, my 6th? Great Grandfather, Govenor William Strong, led the force for toleration, in the Battle of the Severn against Cromwell in the last Battle of the English Civil War. Lots of the family were or are Catholic. So as with many famous films, you get a distorted view of history while watching a nice story. What a crock. I watched Gettysburg and I was only able to catch one wrongheaded fact because they had some of the best historians in the business worked on it. Its no wonder that we as Americans have a really weird view of the world when we watch films that distort the truth. So in summary, this is bad history and not a bad film. I personally agree with the courts marital, and I will waive the flag who I served as did most of my family as we shoot traitors to the United States. George Washington is my 2nd Cousin.. It's too bad, Hollywood movies are like Real Estate agents, some can be sold anything and think they have a great deal, its all in how you market your product or write the story line. When history and legend conflict, "Print the Legend" So for the Long Gray Line of the United States Army, on our honor, "My Country Right Or Wrong, May She Ever Be Right."
Review of One Man's Hero
