Né un 4 juillet

The politics in Stone's films take some getting used to, though with this film the director is quite artful in keeping with the fact that he was making a story about a real person, even if the book is relatively sympathetic to his views. The small Vietnam section is technically amazing, and since most of the filmmakers head for the rainforest, its sand sequence is relatively original and all the more impressive for it. Nevertheless, the entire burden of the film rests on Tom Cruise's acting, which forced me to develop my own controversy about how someone who can play such a part par excellence can subsequently put himself down in all sorts of ways. The believably civil speech and the excellently handled parts (particularly the one in the veterans’ hospital is amazing) make Cruise a master actor in this film. It’s a bit unfortunate that Willem Dafoe’s space wasn’t utilized, as well as the momentary sentimentality, which, however, seems to be part of all this. It can be said that Stone has contributed a lot of interesting works to the issue of the Vietnam complex, which makes everyone think not only about how to treat retired soldiers. (04/07/2006)

One of a series of films that tries to cope with the painful Vietnam syndrome in the form of an unsuccessful military campaign in Vietnam, with many dead, missing and disabled soldiers, and last but not least, with the alienation of war veterans in American society in the 70s and 80s. Unlike the Platoon full of war actions, the decisive part of this drama takes place after the main hero returns home. The life of the paralyzed young man is full of bitterness, and Oliver Stone knows how to work with human emotions very well. In addition, he intimately knows the subject, as he himself had a war experience in Vietnam. One of his best films and also one of the best films about the Vietnam War. Tom Cruise plays solidly and it was one of the films that elevated him to the top. Overall impression: 85%. (14/06/2006)

Stone cuts deep. The parts in Vietnam are excellent, but the real hell begins after he returns from it. Kovic, who comes across as a typical, dumb American gains depth as we watch. Cruise plays his excellently. The viewer can see the emptiness in him and maybe that’s the most scary thing. Only a curse is worse than death. (25/11/2011)

Its plot structure reminded me a bit of The Deer Hunter. Tom Cruise gave such a top-notch performance that I would have handed him the Oscar myself. Oliver Stone knows war. (07/07/2004)

This Oliver Stone reminiscence of Vietnam is finally a success. He needed about two hours of film to capture the horrors of the war in Platoon (and the result was not great), while here he only needs to stay in Asia for about twenty minutes and spend the rest of the time focusing on what is happening in America, its transformations and the transformation of the protagonist and other characters. Born on the Fourth of July is a damn impressive story, first and foremost thanks to Tom Cruise, who gives an amazing performance and is great in every position, secondly thanks to the direction and thirdly thanks to John Williams' beautiful, tear-inducing score. JFK is undefeated, but it's close. (25/08/2012)

Excusez-moi du terme, mais c’est quand même une putain de malchance qu’après une telle prestation, Tom Cruise se soit retrouvé confronté à Daniel Day-Lewis comme concurrent à la remise des Oscars ! (26/09/2013)