Ride The Thunder Book Vs Movie

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The movie Ride the Thunder: A Vietnam Horror Story produced by Richard Botkin, Fred Koster, Joseph Hieu, and Eric St. John portrays the life of a Vietnamese and American soldier, after American troops have withdrawn from Vietnam. Similarly, the book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien showcases a number of short stories from his time as a soldier in Vietnam. Both the film and book express different perspectives such as of the American soldiers, Vietnamese soldiers, and family members. The movie, made 40 years after the war, examines the long-term effects of communism and the personal struggles of its characters. Meanwhile, the book provides more of a raw, personal account of the soldiers’ experiences. However, both show the complexity of …show more content…

The conflict primarily goes back to the issue of communism and its long-term effects on both America and Vietnam. Ripley back in America is met with increased criticism due to the media portrayal of the war. At this time, America is facing a controversial divide and many Americans feel disappointed in their country. However, Ripley goes on to give a speech that reflects the main message of the movie, which is that the war was necessary to fight the adverse effects of communism, regardless of the immature acts of some American soldiers, which the media glamorized. It solidifies this stance, by going back to Bihn in South Vietnam who was now in a re-education camp. In this re-education camp, Bihn is starved, forced to do extremely harsh labor, and conditioned into believing that Ho Chi Minh, the growing communist leader in Vietnam, was their savior. Binh is grouped together with several other common Vietnamese men that were teachers, fathers, and husbands. In this part of the movie, we get to hear Bihn’s thoughts, as he secretly keeps a record of daily occurrences in a journal kept hidden in a jungle …show more content…

Moreover, Ride the Thunder was made in 2015, 40 years after the Vietnam war ended. The fact that the movie was made in 2015 did have an effect on the portrayal of the conflict and characters because much of the controversies and misinformation had been cleared. Many Vietnam war movies made during or closer to 1975, portrayed America negatively, showcasing ruthless and immature acts of American soldiers. In contrast, Ride the Thunder for the most part thoroughly analyzed most aspects of the war, and what made certain characters have a certain perspective on communism and the Vietnam War. The Viet Cong leader, Ho Chi Minh, was portrayed as a manipulative and oppressive figure, particularly in how he is represented in the re-education camps. While American soldiers, such as Ripley, are portrayed as dedicated yet misunderstood individuals who believed in their mission to combat communism, despite the media backlash. Similarly, Vietnamese soldiers and civilians, like Binh, are shown as resilient and hopeful despite the dire circumstances they

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