← Back to results
Heaven & Earth
1993 140 min France, United States of America R 16+
★6.5
History, War, Drama
Director: Oliver Stone
Trailers
Description
In a small Vietnamese village torn apart by war, a young woman faces unimaginable horrors before deciding to escape to the city. There, she encounters a compassionate Marine who offers her hope and a chance at a new life, igniting the possibility of a future together.
Budget:
$33M
US Gross:
$5.86M
Worldwide:
$5.9M
Starring
Hiep Thi Le
Actor
Tommy Lee Jones
Actor
Haing S. Ngor
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Original Score
Key opinion
Oliver Stone's conclusion to his Vietnam trilogy is a polarizing work that earns praise for its ambitious, empathetic focus on the civilian experience of war. While many viewers laud its breathtaking visuals and powerful themes, others criticize the script for being uneven, overly sentimental, and burdened by an excessive runtime.
| Cinematography | Robert Richardson’s cinematography masterfully captures the vast, contrasting scales of both the natural Vietnamese landscape and the brutality of combat. | |
| Theme | The film succeeds in centering the female civilian perspective, portraying a harrowing and empathetic account of war's long-term trauma. | |
| Score | Kitaro’s evocative, ethnic-inspired score provides a strong emotional backbone to the narrative. | |
| Screenplay | The script is viewed as a major liability, with critics highlighting uneven character development, a reliance on repetitive narration, and significant gaps in narrative logic. | |
| Runtime | The film’s long runtime is a point of contention: some feel the immersive approach earns its length, while others find the pace sluggish and exhausting. | |
| Acting | Performances by the leads (Huyền Thy Lê and Tommy Lee Jones) draw conflicting reactions, ranging from praise for their nuanced portrayal of trauma to complaints that the writing leaves the characters feeling passive or thin. |