1968 Tunnel Rats is the latest film directed by 'infamous director' Uwe Boll. The film was originally titled Tunnel Rats. The film was screened at film festivals in Canada and Germany and had a limited theatrical run in Los Angeles at the Downtown Independent Theater on December 20th, 2008. The 'official' release date for the film in the U.S. was supposed to be March 13th, 2009, however that release date got pushed back, despite being released elsewhere in the world on DVD. The U.S. DVD was released on Jun 30, 2009.
Like usual, there is a lot to criticize in the film, though the film itself has mixed reviews (some reviewers actually think Boll is getting better(!)) But there was not a lot of thought put into the costuming and gear for the film. Being filmed in South Africa (standing in for Vietnam), American soldiers wear green South African Cotton uniforms (as seen in Red Scorpion in the guise of Russian and Cuban Soldiers), their shoulder patches are bright and not subdued (subdued insignia was common by 1968) and the helmet covers are Woodland BDU, not the Nam leaf pattern which is correct for Vietnam.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt Sporter II Carbine with 20 round magazine. Colt model #R-6420. Colt still insisted on using the SP1 style lower receiver so any rifle that looks like this but has the ribbing around the magazine release button is not a Colt rifle. Variants of this rifle have both the round and tear drop forward assist buttons, however, most of the early years of production had the tear drop button, like this rifle in the photo - - 5.56x45mmError creating thumbnail: File missingCpl. Dan Green (Wilson Bethel) carries a Colt AR-15 Sporter Carbine as he greets the new arrivals.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSgt. Mike Heaney (Brad Schmidt) gives the order to saddle up, holding his Sporter Carbine.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSgt. Heaney aims his Sporter Carbine down a tunnel.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA US Soldier fires his Sporter Carbine during the NVA attack.
M16
The original model M16 are used at the beginning of the film during the Chopper disembarkation by Pvt. Terence Verano (Rocky Marquette) and other soldiers. As with the other rifles in the film, it can be seen on occasion with anachronistic 30-round magazines.
During the scene where a captured NVA soldier is hung, a soldier can be seen with an anachronistic M16A2 rifles, identified by the heavy barrel. This make wasn't introduced until 1989.
Most of the NVA soldiers, including Huy Tran (Scott Ly) and Nguyen Van Chien (John Wynn), use the anachronistic Norinco Type 84S rifles, rather then the periodically correct Type 56 rifles. Most likely the film crew were unable to obtain enough AK-47's.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingMosin Nagant M38 Carbine. This is the version issued during most of World War 2, the M44 would not be fielded until the last six months of the war. Note slightly shorter barrel, lack of brass reinforcements in the Sling holes and lack of bayonet notch in the stock - 7.62x54RError creating thumbnail: File missingA Mosin Nagant M38 Carbine sits against a wall in Vo Mai's (Jane Le) dugout.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAnother shot of the M38 Carbine against the wall.
Machine Guns
M60 Machine Gun
The M60 Machine Gun is used by Pvt. Jim Lidford (Nate Parker) and Pvt. Dean Garraty (Adrian Collins). A soldier uses one during the NVA attack on the base camp. Note that every operator fires it one handed - a difficult feat.
Pvt. Jonathon Porterson (Garikayi Mutambirwa) uses a M67 Grenade Launcher during patrol; he switches to a Colt M1911A1 for the rest of the movie, which he spends in the tunnels.
The M7 CS Gas Grenade is used by the US Tunnel Rats to clear the way for their entry in the tunnel systems. Sporting and using the M7 are Cpl. Dan Green (Wilson Bethel), Pvt. Peter Harris (Mitch Eakins), Pvt. Carl Johnson (Erik Eidem) and Pvt. Jonathon Porterson (Garikayi Mutambirwa).
