Pretty convoluted story, save to say it's about the 'Sarges' guilt over something that he did in Vietnam ie: letting his buddy get killed.
Who wouldn't have guilt eating them up inside after turning your back if a friend was in a fight and you didn't help, or worse, if you're in the ARMY and didn't support some of your guys if you were stationed in Iraq for example and were fired on by the enemy? The reason the sarge didn't help his buddy was fear. No, he didn't just freeze up or whatever, see the movie, I think it provides good reasons why the sarge is as f***** up as he is.
Anyway Joe Dallesandros' character even has a black sense of humour which I can see probably alot of Defence force vets having, but the sarge is also overwhelmingly defensive about everything in his past. And please, if an ex army guy/girl etc reads this, please don't say you.ve never had live rounds fired at you during training, even 'accidentally'.
Maybe that's why the movie wasn't that successful, because it's TOO realistic. There's a sub plot about high ranking (At Colonel level anyway) armaments deals between the US military and organised crime. Now how realistic is that? (I won't mention the guns for hostages scandal during the Reagan administration. Oh, OK I did)
Anyway, I think everyone seeks redemption for something wrong they've done and so does the sarge, he just seeks his redemption, well check the movie out because there's a bit of Vince Rayker in us all.
