It is a touching and humorous war story, with a touch of sentimentality and a chaotic Vietnam War as its backdrop, called Operation Dumbo Drop. The novel is based on a humorous and heartwarming effort of a U.S. Army team to transport a live elephant to a Vietnamese village, not only as a logistical dramaturgical problem, but as a token of allegiance and cultural admiration. The film, behind its lighthearted facade deals with the issues of friendship, cultural awareness, and the human aspect of war, thus it is not an adventure film, it is a hymn to the power of endurance and kindness in the face of destruction.
The mood of the movie is cozy and frequently comical, with a hint of the slapstick scenes and character-based comedy that leave one with a true smile. The music is lovely, particularly by the actors playing the motley crew of soldiers and villagers, who do not fail to provide comic and heart-warming performances in their parts. The movie moves quickly, and the sequence of transport accidents, humorous conflicts, and dramatic situations with the North Vietnamese Army make the story interesting. The film is beautiful in terms of a visual scenery of the lovely Vietnamese landscape and juxtaposing the scenic beauty with the war scenes, the special effects and the scenes with animals are managed lightly contributing to the feel-good atmosphere of the film.
The message that the film conveyed that I greatly embraced was the importance of that culture must be respected and how simple gestures of kindness can be made during a war. It is a film that helped me feel good and made me remember that, even during the most serious moments, it is possible to be humorous and full of love. It might be overloaded with sentimentality and just basic humor, but in the end, the movie Operation Dumbo Drop provides a very adorable feel-good moment that praises the human spirit and underdogs.
