Ride the Thunder (2015) User Reviews (21)

Ignore the negative reviews, most appear to be propaganda

[skyking-14 · 7/10 · 13 September 2018]

While I didn't serve in Viet Nam, I remember that time well, and I served with people who did. This movie is a mix of docudrama and interviews with veterans. Those that pan that concept apparently don't watch much on the History Channel. Most of the negative reviews I read, if you click on the profile of the reviewer, you find that their negative review of this movie is the ONLY review they have posted. THAT should tell you that they specifically had a reason to bash this film. At least one reviewer called it political propaganda, but that's just what the TRUTH looks like when it isn't what you want to hear!

Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland and their FTA group, committed treason, and they should've gone to prison for that. John Kerry did as well and instead ended up as a lousy Secretary of State who made a terrible deal with our enemies in Iran. The description of the changes in America and the predictions of John Ripley came true. We are living that today. Disputing that fact is futile. The decline of mainstream media in this country began when Walter Cronkite went to Viet Nam and came home and his editor told him to "report what he thought", not just "what he had seen". From that moment on, news reporting became propaganda.

A movie about the so-called "Reeducation Camp"

[hhaiho · 8/10 · 30 April 2024]

The good part of the film is it gives the world an idea about the so-called "Re-education Camp". Ex-soldiers of South Vietnamese Army and ex-officer of Vietnamese government who were told to show up for 1 week of education ended up between a few years and 16 years in concentration camps where many died of hunger, sickness or execution. But the movie shows South Vietnamese prisoners in camp uniforms but in fact, no camp uniforms were given to prisoners. They wore in the camps what they wore when showing up for "one week of education".

But I find the format of the film is weird, it's part movie, part documentary.

Eye Opening and Riveting Look at the Vietnam War

[sherryrichards · 10/10 · 19 September 2015]

Masterfully told with great cinematography, the movie tells the stories of a South Vietnamese man and the American soldier he fought alongside. The movie grabs your attention from the beginning and you find yourself entrenched in the struggles of South Vietnamese soldier Le Ba Binh, a husband and father, expertly portrayed by actor Joseph Hieu. I found it enlightening to see the historical clips interspersed throughout, giving the moviegoer a glimpse of the perspective of the soldiers returning to the U.S. and the attitudes prevalent in our culture during that era. The shocking film footage of Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland, as well as the clips of now Secretary of State John Kerry as a young man give this movie a powerful historical gravity that cannot be denied. The film is very moving, very timely- given the current state of foreign affairs, and also quite entertaining.

Mediocre storytelling

[sengbranch · 5/10 · 26 March 2018]

I was incredibly surprised at the extremely favorable reviews after viewing this film. It doesn't help that the recent Burns/Novik film was released several months ago, eclipsing the efforts of this film. The story is epic, some of us are very familiar with the history of Vietnam from early colonial times to the present. I'm one of those people, and have spent considerable time in Vietnam, speak basic Viet, and understand the culture - so that's the caveat. The story told in this film was nothing new to me, and I mean nothing. The Burns/Novick film was refreshing, and there was new material I'd never seen, including some compelling footage gleaned from the archives in Hanoi. VC and NVA vets gave emotional interviews.... and in Vietnamese. And US vets also told their incredible stories. Ride the Thunder made some attempts at this, with a couple of interviews with US vets. Nothing from VC/NVA, or S Vietnamese. In the end, these portrayals created an awkward mix of low quality drama, and documentary lacking any real substance. It's kind of shocking, really.

This film had terrible acting. I'm sorry to have to relay this, but it was on par with a hastily made lower budget TV program, featuring extras. It took me three separate attempts to finish this movie. There were some Viet Kieu (foreign Vietnamese) actors, but I'm not sure there was a single Viet word spoken in this movie. Besides Dien Bien Phu, or Saigon, etc, lol.

If you're not up to speed on post war Vietnam following the fall of Saigon, or issues US soldiers faced back home after this terribly unpopular and foolish war, you might find this film worth your time. If you are somewhat informed, then you may find this film exceptionally cheesy and factually anemic. I'd have given it a lower score, but out of respect for the filmmakers, and their efforts to portray various perspectives, I'm not doing that. In all candor, it was a real let down.

A movie that satisfies the mind and the heart.

[micheleale · 10/10 · 31 May 2015]

A moving docu-drama that will leave you with tears in your eyes and pride for your country in your heart. Based on the book of the same name, this movie reveals a part of history that is largely unknown: the brotherhood that developed between American soldiers and the South Vietnamese soldiers they fought alongside and the suffering and oppression of the South Vietnamese people after the Vietnam War. This movie is a must-see for every American, but will be particularly eye-opening for many of the first generation children of the South Vietnamese refugees who have made America their adopted country. To them, Ride the Thunder bestows the gift of a richer heritage of which too many are unaware. I know this firsthand as I am one of them.

"Ride The Thunder" = CLARITY

[alohamatson · 24 September 2015]

.."Ride The Thunder" = CLARITY. Losing One's FREEDOM = Hell on Earth ..as this Movie so clearly shows. For who knows best, then those who have had their's so violently taken from them ..then the Vietnamese People? And who also knows best that if FREEDOM were to fall here in a still Free America, they would have nowhere else to run to this time around. And NEITHER would the REST OF US..!!! That's why "Ride The Thunder" is a Must See for ..All the FREE..!!!

..This Movie's "NO MORE LIES" Message is focused and correct. The America I left behind in1965 for the first major battles of the Vietnam War, was no longer there upon my return home in 1966. This was caused by the flagrant Media misreporting of the Vietnam War to the American People. This is the same Media misreporting that now continues to this day, putting our very own FREEDOM at great risk. BRAVO, "Ride The Thunder"..!!!

I Feel so REfreshed.

105 min Refund claim

[amoeb · 1/10 · 20 October 2019]

What to say about this movie.....a mix of bad acting, horrendeus script, unilateral interpretation.

This 105 min of your life completly wasted in a biased plot from the moviemaker....the portrait of the anti-war supporters was ridiculous, and how the movie tried to glorify theyre characters was just plain stupid. This movie is similar as a propaganda movie for dictatorship, you just can't take it serious.

My first review ever is to spare you the agony watching this piece of s... and get the 105 minutes in life back!!

Brings Honor to Those Who Served

[ken-34035 · 10/10 · 21 July 2015]

The point here is the United States turned its back on the South Vietnamese people while disrespecting both the American and Vietnamese troops. The aftermath of this action left millions of South Vietnamese under the harsh boot of North Vietnamese Communism. Here we see how a brave South Vietnamese Marine suffered the brutality of Communist "reeducation" camps. Additionally, the actions of Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland and John Kerry are made painfully clear though film clips highlighting their treasonous wartime activities. Sadly the movie only gives us a glimpse of what is in Richard Botkin's magnificent book, "Ride the Thunder". Happily, the film brings honor to those who served in a war we were not allowed to win. Semper Fi.

Not quite the movie I expected

[jeffandlisa1231 · 4/10 · 31 May 2018]

I expected a story, but it was almost a mix of story and documentary. If you hate communists and the anti-war movement of the 60s this movie is for you. It's seems to be taking a point of view rather then telling a story.

Ride the Thunder

[shb437 · 10/10 · 30 May 2015]

The movie showed the determination of the certain Vietnamese who lost their country to a communist dictatorship and relocated to the U.S. to become exemplary citizens. Most have realized and taken advantage of the "American Dream." It was sad to hear the lies of Jane Fonda and John Kerry and I have always thought that they should have been prosecuted under the Sedition Act. The movie shows John O'Neill debating John Kerry and refuting all of Kerry's lies that he told to our Armed Services Committee concerning the way our servicemen treated Vietnamese citizens. Kerry lied to promote his political career in the state of Massachusetts and it worked. The basic theme of the movie was to show how the Vietnamese in America rose to "Ride the Thunder" with the help of the U.S. and that they will be forever grateful to the American people for supporting them. You wish that whites, blacks and browns who were born in the U.S. shared the same feelings as the Vietnamese regarding opportunities for those who are qualified.

Zero stars

[garygslc · 22 June 2018]

This movie is way too politically biased. The acting is cheesy at best. I couldn't get past the 45 minute mark. The whole thing sounds like a traveling evangelist show. Bad. Bad. Bad.

Underwhelming imperfect docudrama

[agore3 · 4/10 · 29 May 2021]

What was stated as a story of John Ripley and Le Ba Binh and their fight during the war was little about the actual acts.

I had hoped it was a deep story of the 1972 offensive that had not been covered much but other than some of Ripley's heroics on the Dong Ha Bridge mentioned by interviewees little more was stated.

It jumped and spent most of the time in post Easter Offensive with Ripley watching TV showing clips of antiwar clips (Fonda. Kerry) and long scenes of Le Ba Binh in re-education camps after fall of South Vietnam.

In some selected clips, the whole story was not given. For example, when Vietnam was split, the south was supposed to have elections (did not). Diem was not a saint (Reagan clip), that all the South Vietnamese wanted the US there or even the Thieu government.

What was missing was any real mention of Johnson's refusal to expand the war, the false projections (media got this right) we were winning, and Nixon administration handling the peace deal so not a balanced account.

The look and feel of the dramatic sequences was more of a reality show.

Litlle corny but good

[Keeblertex · 9/10 · 24 February 2018]

Acting wasn't the best. But a great story. Sad what we left behind when we pulled out. What you learn in school isn't what really happened.

Another BS account of history from a one sided perspective

[michaeltan-67009 · 1/10 · 12 August 2021]

America the heros again? What about the carpet bombings by the CIA in Cambodia for not aiding the US? Even tho they had nothing to do with the war.. Or the fact that even kids today in vietnam is being born with defect because of Agent Orange.. You want a really account of history, then this garbage isnt the right documentary for you... Only idiotd who wants to stroke their own egos would give this anything above a 3.. What a load of crap..

Anti-war movement = fifth column

[turnedgood · 9/10 · 20 August 2021]

This is my sencond review - the first one is... missing :)

First of all, I have to say the film was ok. Part original footage part acted, did not expect a masterpiece here.

What was mind blowing to me was the original footage of some of the prominent member of the anti-war movement (John Kerry, Jane Fonda).

These people were actually promoting the communist propaganda. Oh, I am sure, they thought they were doing a good thing, promoting the peace, stopping the killing, but man it was heartbreaking to watch them parroting the communist lies.

Now, some 50 years later, their political descendants are talking about re-education again. Back then it was real concentration camps for re-education, today it's done within companies and the government.

Here's a picture I will never forget: Jane Fonda parroting Soviet propaganda.

That was a punch in the gut!

A good movie

[nnuc12 · 10/10 · 30 April 2017]

A movie that tells the truth, that speaks the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese people.

I recommend this to everyone, every kid, every soul who wants to learn the truths. Not those who want things to be "politically correct" or to their wants.

Remember, all South Vietnamese patriots wanted was to stand their grounds against the North Vietnamese communists. We wanted to defend our freedom, which the Americans were helping us with, which the spoiled and hypocritical anti-war campaigners were protesting against.

We never wanted to be American. We wanted to be proud citizens of the Republic of Vietnam.

"No more lies."

True story

[baker-91996 · 10/10 · 16 January 2020]

Having also served in the US Army in I Corps during the Easter Offensive, I can vouch for its authenticity at the beginning and how the VC and their ilk acted afterwards. The North promised not to seek retribution on the South in the peace accords but lied as they usually did. This movie brings it home.

For All Our Vietnam Vets

[GodChaser7 · 10/10 · 16 March 2019]

This movie / documentary may not have had the best acting, but it was something I believe all our Vietnam veterans should see. I personally know so many who still question whether the sacrifices that were made in that war were meaningless, and this film answers that question with a resounding "NO!!" I wish I could hug the producers of this movie for the amazing story they've told here and the effort they've put into showing America the difference our men and women who served in Vietnam made. I only wish it hadn't come too late to answer the repeated "Why" for our vets like Lynda Van Devanter who have already passed on. Kudos to this crew and a heartfelt "Thank you so much!!" to all our veterans!!!

Any relation?

[Kevin-McMahon-1 · 28 January 2019]

Is Fred Koster related to Henry Koster? Director of THE BISHOP'S WIFE, et al.

A must see!! Semper Fi!

[scdolphin-15357 · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

As a former Viet vet serving in the I Corp I felt this is a must see. If we go to war we must have an exit strategy. Great clips from the traitors John Kerry and J Fonda

A powerful film: expose the traitors, Love the Patriots

[willhclark-29-142263 · 10/10 · 25 May 2020]

Moving. Heartbreaking to the portrayal of what happened to so many Vietnamese and American Veterans who were forgotten and betrayed while the personal ambitions of Jane Fonda, Donald Southerland, and John Kerry were rewarded.