Amateur, stilted, uninspired acting, boring dialogue, heavy-handed use of close-ups, bad lighting, inconsistent sound, muted color alternating with too-vivid color, and excruciatingly slow story development are just the first five minutes. The lack of any connection between the overwrought music and the action (actually the total lack of action) on the screen is confusing to the point of being aggravating. The characters are not developed and remain two-dimensional. The language is anachronistic, and the director seems to have instructed everyone in a uniform to be as expressionless as mannequins until it is their turn to look confused. Every shot is an extreme close-up or an extreme oblique angle for no apparent reason. I get that the color, music, camera angles, etc. are used for effect. But when the effect is so obvious, it becomes a distraction. And this film does nothing else but distract the viewer. Unfortunately, nuance and subtlety are the two effects that were not used in this film. Even if none of that bothers you, having a paratrooper jump into enemy occupied territory without a weapon is just plain stupid. If you're making a war movie, you give the actors playing soldiers some guns.

Eddie Livingston - D-Day Pathfinder - POW (the one the Germans hauled away in the film)It is my sad duty to advise you of the passing of Pvt. Eddie H. Livingston I Co/504.Pvt Eddie H Livingston Eddie came to the 82nd by way of the AAF having served at Chanute Field in the parachute test facilities there. He told me that he was "the original test dummy". Anything they thought they could strap on to a man and deliver by parachute they strapped on him first. He had over 178 jumps not counting qualifying, training and combat jumps (3). His combat awards included an un-presented DSC, one Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and seven Purple Hearts.(The above photo is of Eddie H. Livingston from the Pathfinder photo of Normandy stick #16, June 5, 1944.)He also told me that in the big "Invasion Lottery" held by the 504 on the return trip to England from Italy, he spent three bucks and picked June 5, 6 and 7.Eddie was a member of the 504 volunteer group which jumped in Normandy. He went in with the team of 2/508 on DZ N near Picauville, France. Eddie was captured on June 9, and spent the rest of the war in POW camps as a slave laborer--in the coal mines.Eddie's Form DA 1577 reflects that he was awarded the DSC for the action in which he was captured. It was never presented. Research on my part through several archives has failed to locate any reference as to the citation.I had the distinct honor to meet Eddie in November of 2000. He was a "Devil" through and through. Immensely proud of his service with the 504.Word of Eddie's passing was received from his niece Pam Baker, with whom he had been living for the past three years.David R Berry Dayton, OH

I can easily see why some war movies aren't promoted as much as others and some just aren't promoted at all. This movie was clearly low-budget. The grenades had hardly any explosive effect to them whatsoever. The first hour or so of the movie featured way too many close-up shots. If you can't stand the sight of blood, this movie is okay to watch because there was no blood seen anywhere in the film. The acting was very poor as well. I'm a big fan of war movies but the only way I can enjoy a film is if the acting is at least decent, the effects are genuine, and it's historically accurate. This film wasn't as hard to get through as Brother's War was but it's not far off in the level of horrific film making.

This movie should be awarded the following for Rotten Tomato categories: 1. Worst Directed Movie. After a couple of minutes you wonder what's with the continual "close up" camera angles? Simple, no credible movie sets/scenery, terrible background scenes, over use of constant close up dim light filming. Stupid (vain attempt at) suspenseful background "noise".2. Worst written dialogues. I think a High School Thespian club could do a better job.3. Unimaginable terrible acting. Once again a High School Thespian club can act better this.4. The most fake & incredulous combat scenes anyone can film to the point that it is humorous.5. Best job destroying a possibly good WW2 story script about the US Normandy Airborne invasion.6. This movie is so bad that I felt cheated out the $1.20 Red Box rental fee.7. This movie is so bad that I felt cheated out of the time I spent trying to like this film! (I could've been doing my continuing Ed).8. This movie is so bad that I am ashamed to admit I even rented it.9. Memo to Red Box: Please do everyone a favor and REMOVE it from your rental inventory!