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The Siege of Firebase Gloria
Brian Trenchard-Smith, Australia/USA, 1989
Rating: 3.7 |
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Posted:
November 16, 2002
You want severed heads on sticks? You want a forgotten army outpost about to be
overrun by North Vietnamese forces on the eve of the Tet Offensive? You want R.
Lee Ermey (better known as the harsh drill instructor from Full Metal Jacket)
to take over the firebase, frag the dope-smoking commanding officer and dig in
for one hellacious firefight? If you answered yes to any of these questions,
then this overlooked Vietnam flick is all for you. It's got great action, and
Ermey as Sgt. Major Hafner delivers the goods in spades. Hafner's the ultimate
"take charge" presence, instructing that his troops dig "dual purpose" trenches:
for fighting in at night, and burying Charlie in the morning. Trust me, you want
this guy on your side, and you root for him to emerge triumphant. In this
regard, Firebase Gloria is a success. It lacks the polish (and the
budget) of other entries in the genre, but its aspirations are commensurate with
its content. The scene in which Hafner affects an air of mock civility while
liberating a hippie photographer of his drug stash is priceless. Does he stop
there? Oh, no, my friend: he gives the hippie a rifle and puts him in the
trenches. On an unrelated note, and I'm sure most of you are with me on this; I
really hate mimes. I would pay $100 to see R. Lee Ermey slaughter a room full of
mimes, or $50 to see him beat one mime senseless with a body part from another
mime. He would be so great for that job. But I digress. You want a polished,
stylized account of war? Go rent Platoon. You want gritty action with a
great performance from the hammy Ermey? Then The Siege of Firebase Gloria is for
you.
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