Distant Thunder

John Lithgow stars as a Vietnam "bush vet", who comes down out of the Olympic Mountains in Washington State, after one of his friends commits suicide by "kissing" a moving train. Taking a job as a dock worker, he is cajoled by a secretary (Kerrie Keane) into contacting his teenage son (Ralph Macchio), whom he hasn't seen or spoken to in 15 years. What could have been an absorbing father and son drama is, instead, a total mess. First, we are asked to believe that there are a significant number of Vietnam veterans who not only live in the hills, but regularly commit suicide by train kissing. Then we are expected to swallow Keane's humanitarian impulses (she can apparently pick a Vietnam vet out of a crowd from 50 yards away). Towards the end, in a long drawn-out reunion that has father and son united against a "bush vet" who's gone crazy, we watch an insulting portrait of a veteran who acts like Ronald MacDonald, but makes semi-profound remarks when the plot warrants it. Finally, we must sit dumbfounded as the crazy vet kills one person, seriously wounds another, and is given the responsibility of driving to the hospital and waiting in the truck (all, apparently, being forgiven because ain't war hell?). This is nearly a two-hour movie, but dialogue only occupies perhaps a third of it--the remainder is given over to long tracking shots of green forest and even longer reaction shots to every scrap of poor dialogue delivered. Although meant to be a real heart-thumper, the pain this film delivers is felt much lower down the back. Not recommended. (R. Pitman) [DVD Review--January 25, 2005--Paramount, 113 min., R, $14.99--Making its debut on DVD, 1988's Distant Thunder is presented in an overall solid widescreen transfer with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DD surround soundtrack options, but with no extras. Bottom line: Distant Thunder looks much better on DVD, but dramatically it's still a head-shaking, somewhat implausible film. Very optional.]