History YMMV / CasualtiesOfWar

* Narm: The death of [[spoiler:Oanh]] on the bridge, if you don't see it as NightmareFuel. First [[spoiler:she's]] shot, then stabbed, then [[spoiler:she]] falls off the bridge, and the the ''whole area is bombed'' by US aircraft. It's so over-the-top horrible that it recalls [[spoiler:Ludwig's death]] in Film/TheNakedGun.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: Creator/MichaelJFox was widely praised for his intense performance in a dramatic role where he was not only PlayingAgainstType, but also in a film of a completely different genre from the comedies he was best-known for.

* HarsherInHindsight: Early on, Clark instructs Eriksson to just say "I'm sorry about that" when something bad happens to the natives. Eriksson, still in shock about the actual kidnapping of Oanh, says just "I'm sorry".

** While doubling as a TearJerker, Eriksson's relationship with Oanh, as he tries to care for her and protect her. His attempts to try and ease her pain are nice to see, especially after all she has been through. [[spoiler: Though this also adds to the tragedy of the situation as his efforts still fail to save her.]]

** The horrible treatment of Oanh, most notably [[spoiler: her murder on the bridge. Earlier, she is stabbed repeatedly by Clark, but survives and stumbles across the bridge in the middle of a firefight in a dazed attempt to escape. Meserve and the others catch on, and despite Eriksson's attempts to stop them, she is shot to death and falls from the bridge. That ''screaming''...]]

* TearJerker: Brownie's death, and ''everything'' involving Oanh.

* AngstAversion: This film is notoriously hard to watch.

* HarsherInHindsight:
** Early on, Clark instructs Eriksson to just say "I'm sorry about that" when something bad happens to the natives. Eriksson, still in shock about the actual kidnapping of Oanh, says just "I'm sorry".
** This wouldn't be the last time Brian De Palma would make a film based on the true story of [[Film/{{Redacted}} American servicemembers killing and raping a civilian in a guerilla war]].

* HarsherInHindsight: Early on, Clark instructs Eriksson to just say "I'm sorry about that" when something bad happens to the natives. Eriksson, still in shock about the actual kidnapping of Oanh, says just "I'm sorry".

* RetroactiveRecognition: John C. Reilly, Creator/JohnLeguizamo, Creator/VingRhames...

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments: Eriksson hitting a thrown grenade in mid-air with a grenade from his launcher. Even more so that it actually happened.

* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments: While doubling as a TearJerker, Eriksson's relationship with Oanh, as he tries to care for her and protect her. His attempts to try and ease her pain are nice to see, especially after all she has been through. [[spoiler: Though this also adds to the tragedy of the situation as his efforts still fail to save her.]]

* CompleteMonster: Clark is a brutal thug and the most vicious member of the squad, being the only one who possesses no redeemable qualities, while seeming to have been bad from the start. He gleefully partakes in the most horrific parts of the nightmarish event, with him personally raiding Oanh's home and roughly kidnapping her himself, while taunting her constantly on their journey. He is also particularly ruthless in raping Oanh, holding a knife to her throat during the ordeal. Afterwards, [[spoiler: he proceeds to stab her repeatedly before shooting her to death, with him being the only one to happily offer himself to do so. He later proceeds to personally attempt to kill Eriksson with a grenade to keep him from exposing their crime.]] He also maintains a pretty callous attitude towards the sufferings of the Vietnamese, even holding genocidal beliefs towards them.

* CompleteMonster: Clark is a brutal thug who is the most vicious member of the squad, and is the only one who possesses no redeemable qualities, seeming to have been bad from the start. He gleefully partakes in the most horrific parts of the nightmarish event, with him personally raiding Oanh's home and roughly kidnapping her himself, then he taunts her constantly on their journey. He is also particularly ruthless in raping Oanh, holding a knife to her throat during the ordeal. Afterwards, [[spoiler: he proceeds to stab her repeatedly before shooting her to death, with him being the only one to happily offer himself to do so. He later proceeds to personally attempt to kill Eriksson with a grenade to keep him from exposing their crime.]] He also possesses a genocidal belief that the Vietnamese should be wiped out and maintains a pretty callous attitude towards their suffering.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Creator/EnnioMorricone [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1syYNwfRrn8 does not disappoint.]]
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments: Eriksson actually hitting a thrown grenade in mid-air with a grenade from his launcher. Even more so that this actually happened.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Ennio Morricone [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1syYNwfRrn8 does not disappoint.]]
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: Eriksson actually hitting a thrown grenade in mid-air with a grenade from his launcher. Even more so that this actually happened.

* MoralEventHorizon: If Meserve and Clark didn't already cross it when they kidnapped Oanh and made her their sex slave, they ''definitely'' crossed it [[spoiler: when they murdered her.]]