Brilliantly directed, chillingly filmed and compassionately acted the war film Danger Close gives the audience a precarious seat on the edge of danger. Once the film fires the first rounds in battle, the attacks, commands, courage, heroism only stops for a minute between conflicts so you can catch your breath, then starts all over again. Not for the squeamish or meek, this movie outdoes many of its type in a big way. Danger Close is based on true events.
The Vietnam War raged with never ending attacks by the Viet Cong daily during the conflict from 1955 until 1975. Armed with rifles, mortar, and grenade launchers the Cong fought mercilessly against any foe that came within range of their stronghold. It’s a blood bath that lasted almost twenty years.
It’s May of 1966 and the 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment has been called in to increase allied forces in South Vietnam. They are a young company of soldiers with minimal training lead by officers who have never seen battle. Their task is to inflict as much damage as possible in support of the American troops that have been entrenched for years. The Australian Regiment is made up of fearless men who are about to face a ferocious army of unimaginable size.
As the fighting begins, the Aussies start taking casualties. Director Kriv Stenders doesn’t waste any time building up his main characters that are mostly the leaders of squads and companies of the young Australian fighters. Putting the men to the task of moving into wide open spaces leading to dense forest, they are a bit complacent with the little resistance. He then unleashes the battles that took place in the two months of fighting of this regiment in 1966. While it’s a blood bath on both sides, it’s the heroism, trust in command and love for their fellow soldiers that made them press on in the face of danger and imminent death.
You will never forget this film and rightly so as your head gets filled with the awful slaughter of men during the hour plus battles. There have been other films like Pork Chop Hill that took place in Korea, Iwo Jima during the Pacific Theatre, Saving Private Ryan in Europe and Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. These are just a few of the movies to compare that have brought war into theaters that show the bravery and selflessness of the Allied armies.
The special effects in Danger Close are cringing and look real as can be imagined. The sounds are clear and alarming as bullets hit helmets during the take down both the enemy and the resistance. The make-up shows the effect of the relentless fighting and killing as the troops from both sides clash time and again. Its war on a battle field personified and the audience has a front seat on the edge of the “darkness”.
Danger Close has been rated R by the MPAA for sequences of war violence, and language throughout. It has as much action as a Sci-Fi Star Wars movie, but this is as close as you’ll ever come as a spectator to a enactment of the real thing. Watch the attached trailer for a snippet of the film.
FINAL ANALYSIS: One of the best produced war films in a decade. (5 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Travis Fimmel, Luke Bracey, Daniel Webber, Alexander England, Aaron Glenane, Nicholas Hamilton, Myles Pollard and Matt Doran
Directed by: Kriv Stenders
Genre: Action, Drama, War
MPAA Rating: R for sequences of war violence, and language throughout
Running Time: 1 hr. 55 min.
Opening Date: November 8. 2019
Distributed by: Saban Films
Released in: Theaters and VOD
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
