A father and other members of his family embark on a journey to Vietnam to search for his son who has been MIA since the war over there. George Calden's son, Brendan, has been MIA in Vietnam ever since that war and George has never had closure. Now, modern technology has enabled the government to estimate where Brendan, who was a pilot, crashed.

George (a widower) sets up an expedition to that area and takes along his 2 other sons, Bobby and Shawn, and his teenage grandson, Patrick, in hope of finding Brendan's remains. Bobby had also been in the Vietnam war and harbors some guilt about getting out alive while Brendan did not. He is also somewhat embittered toward Shawn (now a successful businessman), who had dodged the draft back then and fled to Canada. Bobby also holds a grudge against the people in Vietnam and becomes highly agitated when his son Patrick spends time with a pretty Vietnamese girl.

Archeologist Julie Conroy is the leader of the expedition. Throughout the expedition and digging, we see a lot of family conflict between George, his sons, and grandson. George is also keeping a secret from them. The whole crew face dangers and setbacks. George's mission almost comes to a halt twice. One disturbing incident is when Vietnamese soldiers raid the camp. Then George becomes ill and Julie receives orders to stop the digging. But parts of Brendan's plane are found and evidence shows he had ejected before the crash.

Later, an elderly Vietnamese man leads the family to a place he remembers burying an American pilot. It is there they find Brendan's tags, parachute, and remains. This is a very touching scene that will no double leave a lump in your throat. Bobby shows a genuine change of heart and forgiveness towards the Vietnamese people and he and brother Shawn reconcile their differences. It was a very moving story that brought tears to my eyes.

At times, some of the strong language was offensive and distracting to me (one word in particular). Fortunately, the bad language is not overwhelming and the story is still worth watching.

Star Rating

3

Buy Now

MPAA Rating

NR (Not Rated)

Tips

A film on DVD that all can enjoy -- not just guys. I recommend it for age 17 and older. Parental guidance is suggested for younger viewers.

Pros

There is no blood or gore. There are some very humorous moments for "cutie pie" Patrick (teen actor, Adam Brody) when he awakes to find a Python slithering across his sleeping bag. Another time he finds a big leech on his leg. The interaction between all the characters is realistic.

Cons

Some profanity and strong language.