Smartorhypo
Highly Overrated But Still Good
Asad Almond
A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
Claudio Carvalho
In Saigon, during the war, Buck McGriff (Willem Dafoe) and Albaby Perkins (Gregory Hines) are U.S. Military Policemen trying to do law enforcement in a chaotic city. When a prostitute is executed on bed, they investigate and they find a witness – the G.I. Maurice (Keith David) that is scared since the killer is an American officer. However Maurice is murdered and soon they find that there are six other prostitutes that have been murdered but their cases have vanished from the files. They meet the former investigator that gives a copy of his findings and they have five colonels as prime suspects that might be the serial- killer, but their friend Sergeant Dix (Fred Ward) warns that only three of them were in Saigon in the night of the last murder. McGriff finds that Sister Nicole (Amanda Pays) has a witness hidden in the jungle with the Vietcong and he tries to convince her to let them meet her to find who the serial-killer is."Off Limits" is a good movie with great cast and a storyline similar to "The Night of the Generals", i.e., a high ranking officer is killing prostitutes during the war. However, the movies are absolutely different and also in common the manhunt of the serial-killer in time of war. This movie is also a great chance to see the lovely Amanda Pays that has disappeared from the screens. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Saigon - Império da Violência" ("Saigon – Empire of Violence")
effigiebronze
Scott Glenn's performance is one of the craziest, most unhinged spectacles I've ever seen outside of BAD LIEUTENANT. That said, I went to see this movie three times when it first came out, and I tell you what, it's flawed, and crazy, and not all there, and a lot of it is unfocused, but it belongs squarely in the 'Nam Movie' pantheon, right there with HAMBURGER HILL, FULL METAL JACKET, APOCALYPSE NOW, and PLATOON. This flick is, if only by some accident, the real deal, and in many ways, the only other piece of media I can compare this movie to is Mark Jury's stunning act of photojournalism, THE Vietnam PHOTO BOOK.The display of disorientation and malaise, the feeling of the grimy, nasty, sex-filled environments presented to off-duty soldiers in an occupied country, is second to none. I remember Roger Ebert's review of this film and particularly his opinion that it was, I quote, "Needlessly profane". Obviously Mr. Ebert was never in any military.Is this a perfect movie? NO.Is this even a good movie? Well, not really.Is this a good, or necessary Vietnam movie? Yes, it is. If you haven't seen this, you are not complete. Trust me on that.OFF LIMITS is critical war-movie viewing.
lord woodburry
The Army has always wondered what side army CID is on so said Colonel Smokin' Joe Woodward to me many years ago. This film may answer good Colonel's question. In Vietnam the USACIDC worked for the VC.Following string of prostitute murders, Buck McGriff (Willem Dafoe) and his partner Albaby Perkins (Gregory Hines) are on the case. The suspects are all high ranking officers. Everyone including the ARVN (Army of The Republic of South Vietnam) QC (South Vietnamese Military Police) stand in their way. Only a French nun Sister Nicole (Amanda Pays) is of grudging assistance.Along the trail, they're kidnapped by troops fiercely loyal to their Colonel, witness US war crimes called playing helicopters, and finally take a taxi to VC headquarters to consort with Charlie himself.Yet despite their many adventures the answer has always been staring them in the face.Much of the film has been borrowed from WWII movies: In Vietnam with rotation and change over troops weren't quite as loyal to each other, their commanders or their units as had been the case in previous wars. The sidestory of the love affair with the French nun comes straight from HEAVEN KNOWS MR ALLISON; in the 1960s catholic nuns regularly left the convent to marry.Gregory Hines' character was about a decade before his time. The Army was late in placing Afro-Americans in the Military Police or in Criminal Investigation Command.Yet despite these shortcomings the film is well played and highly recommended.
Spikeopath
Off Limits (AKA: Saigon) is the missing Vietnam film, a film I feel not many have actually seen since I never see it mentioned on the message boards out there in net land. While I have certainly never heard it spoken about when talk of Vietnam films crops up. The film is in essence a who done it police drama, two cops on the streets of Saigon during the war are searching for a high ranking officer who is, erm, offing prostitutes.It is the backdrop of the war that gives the film added substance and lifts it way above average, because we see not only the problems a murder investigation brings, but also the horror of war getting in the way as well. Some damn fine and tidy performances flesh out the characters, with both Gregory Hines & Willem Dafoe as our two stoic and battle weary coppers engaging us from the off, whilst the supporting cast of Fred Ward, Keith David (look out for his dance man!) & Scott Glenn are interestingly watchable; the latter of which who leaves the lasting impression with what has to be the best 5 minutes work he ever did during a brilliant interrogation sequence during a mid-air flight.It's gritty and interesting and deserves to be better known and sought out. It doesn't pull up any trees as regards formula, and it certainly isn't one you will want to go back to time and time again for thrills and spills, but it hits the spot and as the mystery and stifling heat of Vietnam pervades the mood, you will remember watching it long after the credits have rolled. 7/10
