The approach of this Vietnam drama, about the rape and murder of a local girl by four US servicemen while a fifth stood helplessly by, seems unimpeachable, yet its heart is undoubtedly in the right place.

Sean Penn and Michael J Fox are uncommonly well cast as the brutish sergeant (who leads the rape) and the conscience-stricken PFC and both do the roles impassioned justice.

However, you wouldn't expect director Brian De Palma to understate anything and he doesn't (except perhaps the rape itself); in many places the drama suffers from directorial overkill.

And the ending, striving to satisfy its audience, is far too pat. But it's a strong piece of film-making, filled with the restless camerawork for which its director is noted, which finds its niche in the hurly-burly desperation of jungle warfare.

STAR SPOT: You'll need to be on your toes to spot Woody Harrelson, who puts in a cameo as a favour to Michael J Fox, with whom he became buddies when his show Cheers and Fox's Family Ties were shot in neighbouring studios at NBC.