Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan (film review)

Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan

This 2019 film is about a battle in Vietnam fought between Australian infantry and Vietnamese (both regulars and Viet Cong) in August 1966.

The film begins with a mortar attack on the Australian base at Nui Dat, we see different reactions from various men – highly experienced Major Smith (played by Travis Fimmel hardly recognizable without his long Viking hair) and reacts with cold calm indifference, giving clear orders to his men. Meanwhile over in the command bunker, they need coordinates for counter battery fire, but other companies don`t respond, until an experienced Sergeant slaps his young Lieutenant into action and sends the coordinates, after which the artillery wipes out the mortar!

The morning after the attack Bravo Company is detailed to checkout the area; they find blood and body parts along with the smashed mortar!

The next day Smith`s own company “Delta” relieves Bravo and continues the search. 11 platoon in the lead encounter a VC section and engage them. This draws them further into the rubber plantation and away from 10 platoon and the company CP. 11 Plt. are soon engaged by more and more VC, they call for support and the CP calls down artillery and Major Smith orders 10 Plt. forward to support 11 Plt. and calls 12 Plt. up to the CP.

11 Plt. is soon in trouble, casualties mounting (including their officer) with ammunition running low, even close artillery support doesn`t seem enough. 10 Plt. also runs into a large force of the enemy and is prevented from reinforcing 11. On top of this the CP now joined by 12 Plt. also comes under attack, Smith calls for support, but the base commander Brigadier Oliver David Jackson is worried about a direct attack on the base and refuses to release any reinforcements! Smith then calls for resupply, but again Jackson refuses, but two Australian Huey pilots volunteer and fly their birds low over the trees and carry out a direct drop over a smoke designated drop-zone (one of the craziest things I`ve ever witnessed in a movie).

The battle continues and things get pretty tight and desperate until “A” Company is ferried in by APC and finally the VC are driven off.

The battle scenes are intense, the uniforms and equipment look spot on to my eyes (I`m not an expert on Vietnam). The Aussies are armed with SLRs, M16s, M60s and Owen sub-machine guns (a nice touch I thought). The VC have mostly the usual AKs and SKS carbines, but you also see a Mosin-Nagant sniper rifle, an RPG and a wheel mounted HMG with a shield. During some of the human wave charges some VC al;so seem to have M16s, SLRs (maybe a shortage of AKs on the set?) and I`m sure I saw an STG44 to!! The effects of the artillery was very well done, the M113s looked superb charging across the paddyfields.

If you are interested in Vietnam and want a change from US operations, this film may give you some ideas. If you just want a good war movie, I highly recommend this one.