It doesn't involve reflection on the Vietnam War, as many reviews suggest. What interests the director, and what impresses me, is the friendship that has endured trials and tribulations, not a specific war. Although there is a lot of space in the film showing the Vietnam War, I think that is just a background, a background that is not irreplaceable. Stories like this can take place in World War II or any war, and even without war, there are other disasters in life that test friendships.
The fraternity of the protagonists (mostly "De Niro") reminds me of the fraternity in Water Margin. The difference is that the latter more or less ignores the normal social order, and often confronts one evil with another, while the former is based on observing human values, so the latter gives me a momentary The joy and liberation of the former, and the former moved me, made me more peaceful, and had a kind of empathy. Especially in the end, "De Niro" played "Russian Roulette" with him in order to convince his friend: the ending of the game is actually not difficult to guess and imagine. What really shocked me was "De Niro"'s relationship with his friends loyalty and responsibility; but after the shock, what I felt was true inner peace and tranquility, and I felt that I was standing on a solid rock.
This film also reminds me of my friends, especially those classmates and friends who had been with each other in the early years. We went on outings together, just like the protagonists hunting together, discussing homework and life together, and a bit like the protagonists working and fighting together. Today, because we live far away from each other, or have different jobs, or our own lives, we have little contact with each other, and some of us have even been unaware of the recent situation, but I can still feel the existence and solidity of this friendship.
Thanks to this film, I have relived the meaning of friendship; I am also grateful to my friends for helping me appreciate the warmth of life and understand the meaning of life better.
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