Original subtitles

[TRUCKS RUMBLING]

Left, right, left, left, left!

Left, right left!

Over here!

Everybody out of the truck, over to the ammo

dump to get the going in a hurry.

Casper, come on with me.

SOLDIER: Hey Fred, can you help me get this stuff unloaded,

will you?

SOLDIER: Get that damn thing up there.

I read they're looking for professionals in Africa.

What, whores?

No, mercenaries, Sarge.

Mexico and Latin America, too.

Mercs are getting 1,300 a month plus transportation.

They want combat soldiers, Casper, not typists.

I was told to report to you, Sergeant.

I'm Hardin.

Rifleman Charles Hardin, Corporal.

Where are you from, Charlie?

El Paso.

Is that right?

Well, tell me how you like being in the Louisiana National Guard

all of a sudden.

I don't.

But then, I didn't much like being in the Texas guard

either.

Well, not liking the Texas Guard makes sense.

Not liking the Louisiana Guard can

get you into trouble with me.

You got that?

Got it.

Now you get your butt on over to second squad.

You'll recon with them.

Casper, show him the way.

Introduce him to the boys.

Right.

[GUNS FIRING]

Ceasefire!

Man, we sure get all the good details around here.

Must be be good exercise for you, Simms,

put a little muscle in your pants.

Well, that's the last thing I need, coach, unless you

want to take care of it.

Listen, Stuckey, maybe I'll just bend you in half so you

can take care of it yourself!

Easy, fella.

I'll bend you in half.

Come on, come on, man.

Easy, easy big fella.

Knock it off!

Listen, Stuckey, I like a joke just like anybody,

but I don't like that one.

Come on, now.

I'm with you, coach.

Speaking for myself, I like women.

Yeah, we won't be seeing many of them.

Life's full of surprises.

What does that mean?

Well, I've arranged for a little treat

for the weekend, boys...

six whores de combat awaiting our assault.

And I'm sure they'll fuck us in a more interesting way

than the Louisiana National Guard has.

Hey, you ain't kidding, right?

Oh, I never joke about women.

Women?

What woman?

He's got some hookers at the end of the line, coach.

You mean prostitutes?

That's exactly what I mean.

This is a new low, Spencer, even for you.

I got them scheduled to meet us just outside of Catahoula.

They ought to be there about the time

we emerge from the great, primordial swamp.

You got one for me?

Me?

You mean us, don't you, brother?

What's happening here, huh?

Hey, boy.

The purpose of the National Guard

is to keep you darker brothers away

from decent southern women.

Man.

However, in the spirit of the New South,

I have made full arrangements.

What about you, Hardin?

I got a wife.

You can count me out of this one.

I suppose you're used a little more serious soldiering over

in El Paso, huh?

We had things organized.

All we did was watch the ballgame on TV,

shoot dice, and sleep.

Now, with the Louisiana Guard it's a little different.

They have us out doing really important things,

like beating up on college kids and tear gassing niggers.

Oh please, Mister Guardsman, no more canisters.

Don't set the shepherd dogs on me.

See what I mean?

We have a long, noble military tradition.

Hey, Casper!

Huh?

[GUN FIRING]

Cut if out, Stuckey!

Act like a soldier, you damn dumb son of a bitch!

God!

Pick 'em up and put 'em down.

I said, pick 'em up and put 'em down.

In the real world, you do something useful?

Or are you like the rest of the members of the second squad?

I work for Petramco, chemical engineer.

A college man.

They're kind of rare in Texas, aren't they?

Oh, we manage to come up with one every now and then.

You know, one might get the impression

that you don't enjoy an occasional chat

with your fellow guardsmen.

Guess what?

You're right.

Now, I can't say as I blame you here and there.

Reece is under the impression most of the time

that he's in a dime novel.

And Stuckey, he isn't smart enough to read a dime novel.

The coach, well...

Yeah, I think I know the type.

Look, these guys are OK.

They just want to have a little fun with you

being the new boy and all.

They're not OK.

They're just Louisiana versions of the same dumb rednecks

I've been around my whole life.

SOLDIER: Hut!

Hut!

Two, three, four!

Come on, boys, come on!

Hut! Hut!

When I was training in Fort Polk once,

our instructor got bit right here by a coral snake.

Just put his hand on a log and took his machete out

and just cut it right off.

[MEN GROANING] SOLDIER: Oh, come on.

- Took it right off. - Oh, horseshit.

Oh, that is bullshit.

What are you talking about, man?

I swear it's the truth!

Well, just fuck you.

I don't give a shit if you believe it or not.

All right.

For those of you who are interested,

we're going on an overnight recon and patrol.

[MEN GROANING]

Hush up and listen up!

We've been designated Bravo.

That is Bravo Team, recon and security.

Rendezvous point Charlie.

That is Charlie.

It's just outside of Catahoula.

Now, we're going to travel in file formation

with maximum use of cover and concealment.

We're traveling to make time.

No tents, no sleeping bags, ponchos and liners only.

Going to have all kinds of weather out there...

sun, rain, cold in the morning.

Get used to this idea.

You're going in the water, and that water is going to be cold.

Cribbs!

You with us?

Oh, sure am, Sarge.

I'm really up for this one.

Well, that's good, because you're going to be my pace man.

[MEN LAUGHING]

Reece, you'll be point.

Yo.

Now, we're talking about 38 kilometers.

You make sure your canteens are filled at the water buffalo.

Each and every member does their job.

I don't want nobody dogging it out there.

You're all buddies.

You're counting and depending on each other.

Everybody does their job.

Now please, for once in your life,

try to look like soldiers.

Civilian in peace, soldier in war.

MEN: I am the Guard.

That's right.

Try to remember that.

[INSTRUMENTAL CAJUN MUSIC]

SOLDIER: Looks like somebody built a whole new ocean here.

We're supposed to be at this coordinate.

Either this map is wrong, or all of a sudden I

can't find my way around the block.

[BIRDS AND INSECTS CHIRPING]

[FLIES BUZZING]

Well, the channel must have shifted with the winter rains.

What's supposed to be land is underwater.

You want me to raise company?

No, there's no need for that.

It's real simple.

Either we can get across going down this point of land...

and it don't look good...

or we go all the way back and start over.

[WHISTLES] Over here!

Damn.

Somebody shot Rudolph.

Who do you think these canoes belong to?

Us.

They belong to the indigenous personnel,

and don't you guys be fucking around with them.

You think they float?

Hell yes.

They're pirogues.

Cajuns back there use them all the time.

Well, they ain't using them now.

Let's say we take them down the bayou.

Yeah.

I can deal with that, the way my back feels.

We might make Catahoula tonight, put

them women under martial law.

What women you talking about?

Spencer's running some ladies.

Yeah, he's got some skirts waiting for us.

It's all set.

Noleen and her bayou queens.

Just little something for morale.

Really?

And let me add, Sargent, that these women

are expecting some small unit military penetration.

[LAUGHTER]

I don't think we should take the canoes.

They're not ours.

That's right.

They're not ours.

So let's get in them and take off.

Hold on, fungo.

Nobody gave you an order.

REECE: How else are we going to get there?

Well, maybe you've got a point there, Reece.

Hell yes.

Let's move.

Wait a minute, Reece.

How are the rightful owners going

to get those boats back when there's no other access

to the far shore?

Well, hell, we only need three of them.

They can use the other ones to get them back.

A little R and R never hurts.

Catahoula, here we come. - What do you say, Sarge?

[INSECTS BUZZING]

OK.

Bowden, write them a note.

Yes, Sir.

[CHEERING AND CHATTERING]

All right, get those steel pots off.

Hook them onto your belt. Shape up now.

Shape up, Stuckey.

Get in the goddamn boats and look like soldiers.

Come on, Bowden.

[PEACEFUL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

Hey!

Look over there!

There they are.

These must be their canoes.

[SHOUTING] Hey there, you guys!

Read the note!

We left you a note!

Dumb coon asses.

They don't understand.

God, I hope they find my note.

Maybe they only speak French.

Well, does anybody speak French?

Yeah.

Voulez-vous fuck me?

[LAUGHTER]

Reece, knock that shit off.

[SHOUTING] We're bringing them back.

We're bringing them back.

Let 'em have it!

Take no prisoners!

[GUN FIRING]

Stuckey!

You asshole!

Casper, get your boat over to that point of land now.

[GUN BLASTS AND ECHOES]

Sarge!

Poole!

Poole!

Southern bastards!

[SPLASHING AND SHOUTING]

SOLDIER: Get out of here!

Come on!

Come on!

Get out of here!

You stupid fuck!

Bastard!

Pull him in, I got him.

Get him up!

[BIRDS CHATTERING]

Come on.

Hit it!

Take cover!

Shot him!

They shot him!

Get down!

Spencer, over here!

Over this way!

Jesus Christ, what's happening?

Are they still shooting?

Where are they?

I don't know.

I can't see 'em.

Where are they?

Hey, get down, man!

Poole... we've got to get Pool!

You take care of it.

I'm gonna go over there and look out for them.

Come on.

Come on, let's go!

He fell over there.

[RIFLE CHAMBER CLICKING]

Set him down there.

Goddamn you, Stuckey.

No sign of 'em.

Where the hell is that damn map?

SOLDIER: He was holding it.

I remember.

Damn!

Compass is gone.

How'd that happen?

It's in the water.

What the hell do you think?

And guess who put it there?

That's right, Bowden.

What the hell did you tip us over for?

I didn't tip the canoes over, and you're

the one that started it all. It's your fault.

What the hell are you talking about?

You fucking panicked, you asshole.

I'll show you panic, you little fucking redneck.

[SHOUTING]

I didn't panic!

Goddammit, I didn't panic!

I didn't panic!

I didn't panic goddammit!

I didn't panic you little piss-ass!

Come here!

Come over here!

Stop!

What the hell is this shit?

Look, we're all soldering together.

Damn it. You two guys shake hands!

All right, all right, all right.

OK.

OK, good.

Simms, where's your radio? - In the water.

What do you think?

You're supposed to be in charge of it, man.

What the hell's the matter with you?

Look, we have a dead man here.

Now what are we going to do?

Let's go get them cocksuckers who shot Poole.

I'll decide where we're going and when.

Let's haul ass.

What about Sergeant Poole?

I say we leave him, unless you want to carry him.

He's an American soldier.

He's got a bronze star, a Purple Heart, a Vietnam Service Medal.

We're not leaving him here!

The quicker we get out of here,

the quicker they can come back for him.

Now look, we're going to follow

through with our mission.

That's our responsibility. - Come on, Casper.

Let's get going.

No, goddammit!

We're not leaving him here!

- Who says? - I say.

I've got the stripes.

I'm in charge.

And I don't want to hear any more shit about it.

Now let's just go.

[CAJUN MUSIC]

Stuckey, you were sure one dumb son of a bitch

firing that machine gun.

Yeah, Stuckey.

Nobody gave you an order to fire.

Look, it was only a goddamn joke.

It was only blanks.

Forget it.

Forget it?

Shit.

This moron gets somebody killed and you say forget it?

got something for you boys to remember.

Stuckey wasn't the one that shot Poole.

The big thing is that after we get Poole back to headquarters,

we come back here and get these Cajuns.

Oh, hell yes.

All we got to do is swim a couple of hundred yards

and then find them back in that forest.

After we've done that, then we can capture them

and shoot them with our blanks.

Well, what do you think?

This bayou forks to the east.

It's easiest to get where we want moving that way.

We want to be heading north.

The interstate's north.

We're going to the interstate.

Not if you go east.

The interstate's north.

Fuck you, Spencer.

What the fuck you know?

I know there's a big fireball in the sky

that usually rises in the east, and we're

walking right into it.

You got to go east to go north.

Yeah, right.

Who wants to run that by me more time?

We got to where to go when?

Look, will somebody figure out where the hell we're going

and do it quick? - Hardin, shut up!

It's my responsibility, and we're going east to get north.

Go ahead and do what you want, zip.

Exactly what the hell I'm going to do, Spencer.

Now let's move your asses.

Come on!

[SLOW CAJUN MUSIC]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Turkey.

Turkey meat, turkey skin, cracker meal,

turkey fat, and salt.

Smokes made it through the water, huh?

Yes, I saved a pack.

Lucky, huh?

Maybe it's about time we divide up the bullets.

What bullets?

Reece has got some ammo.

He always brings some along just in case

he runs into any big game.

Back at bivouac, he was showing off a box full of 556s.

Hey, what the hell is this anyway, man?

Some kind of military secret or something?

No way.

I brought along one box of shells for my own use,

and right now I'm locked and loaded

down in case I meet up with them sons

of bitches that shot Poole.

Let me see your weapon, Reece.

You just stay on back.

You give me the ammo.

We're going to divide them up evenly.

We'll share 'em.

Bullshit.

It's mine.

That's it.

It's not right, Reece.

Give him the bullets.

It's a military situation.

I gave you a direct order, Reece.

Now you give them to me.

You come one step closer, Casper,

and I'll give you something else.

That's a court martial offense, man.

Look, you give me the ammo, we'll drop it right here,

otherwise I'm going to turn your ass in.

I don't give a shit what you do...

Quick fucking around and give him the rifle.

Now.

I'll take Hardin's and give them to him.

OK.

Here's your ammo.

Blade to the throat, huh?

Is that how they do these things in El Paso?

Yeah.

That's how they do things where I grew up.

I thought you were some kind of chemical engineer.

I am.

And I'm out of the habit of spending time

with a bunch of gun-toting rednecks.

Well, you know how it is.

Down here in Louisiana, when we don't carry guns,

we carry ropes, RC Colas, and MoonPies.

We're not too smart, but we have a real good time.

[SLOW CAJUN MUSIC]

What are you doing, Cribbs?

Say, man, I'm on sentry.

You wanna hit some of this stuff?

How can you smoke that crap?

I ain't on your team, coach.

Goddamn right you're not.

You couldn't make the squad.

That stuff kills your will to win.

How your boys do this year?

This was a rebuilding year.

We had injuries to key personnel.

We finished three and seven.

What do you do for a living anyway?

I pick a little cash pimping here

and there, bust most of what I turn over

comes from selling dope to high school kids.

You're goddamn lucky I don't believe you.

No, it's true.

Some of my best customers are at Fremont High,

and they were 10 and 0 this year, coach.

I don't have to listen to this bullshit.

Hey, Lonnie.

Huh?

When are we going to kick this boy's ass

all the way back to El Paso?

Soon as we get up to the rendezvous.

Then we're going to come back for these coon

asses that got Poole.

Lonnie?

Do you think this whole thing was my fault?

Don't worry about it.

It's done.

Hey.

How can you guys play cards with Sergeant

Poole lying dead over there?

You got another idea about what we should be doing?

Just don't seem right.

Pool doesn't care.

He's dead.

And I don't know what the hell any of us can do about it.

So why not play cards?

Just don't seem right.

[EERIE MUSIC]

- It's up this way. - Where?

Over there.

OK, well come on, let's move it.

Spencer, what about company command?

They should be wondering about us, don't you think?

No, not yet.

We've been out of contact for 12 hours.

He's right.

They should be looking for us by now.

No way.

It's National Guard, remember?

We were supposed to meet the trucks 20 minutes ago.

Another hour and a half, the trucks will actually show up.

Two o'clock, they'll start asking

around if anyone's seen us.

At 3:00, they'll start checking the bars.

At 4:00, they'll really get steamed.

By 5:00, it'll occur to someone that maybe we got lost.

At 6:00, the captain will consider calling battalion.

At 7:30, he will.

Battalion will tell him it's too late.

There's nothing anyone can do till morning.

REECE: There's his cabin.

CASPER: That's him, that son of a bitch.

Where's the others?

There's more of them.

As far as I can tell, he's alone.

- We'll capture him. - What for?

I can get him from here.

Look, Reece, this is Louisiana National Guard, not

the goddamn vigilantes!

Now let's move our asses.

Come on, let's go!

All right, look, now here's the program.

We found one of the Cajuns that shot Poole.

We're going to catch him.

He's up about 250 meters up ahead.

You sure he's one of them?

Of course we're sure.

What the hell do you think?

Why don't you try talking to him

before you start blowing his head off?

Simms, Reece, Stuckey and I are the advanced unit.

Now remember, the initial action's got to be decisive.

Surprise is the key.

Hey, Casper, did you hear what I said?

I heard you.

We're going to talk to him after we've captured him.

Now, the rest of you guys are rear element.

You stay 100 meters back and keep down.

We'll marry up after the objective's sealed off.

Let's go.

Wait.

I volunteer for the advance party.

Forget it.

Just do what the hell you're told.

Come on, let's go!

[OMINOUS FLUTE MUSIC]

Jesus, this is bullshit.

That's just what I was thinking.

You always get out of everything?

I didn't see you raising your hand to volunteer.

That's right.

I'm not going to ride shotgun with dumbbells.

Four of them with automatic rifles against some swamp rat?

I make it even money.

What are you doing, coach?

Shut up.

Whoa!

What in hell?

Let's go.

You son of of a bitch!

[GUN BLASTS]

You're under arrest!

Bowden, get the hell away from that prisoner!

I told you to stay in our back.

Mission accomplished, Sergeant.

Oh, bullshit.

You used your real bullets...

just pissed 'em away!

I didn't panic.

Oh, hell.

All right, easy now.

We've got to interrogate him.

Hey, [SPEAKING FRENCH].

Surrender.

Drop the knife.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Son of a bitch, I said drop the goddamn knife!

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Son of a bitch!

You could've busted his jaw!

That's right.

We want him to talk.

You almost knocked his mouth clear down to his ass.

Jesus Christ, Simms.

We gotta interrogate the man.

Now how in the hell is he going to talk us if you

go and break his fucking jaw?

That's his fucking problem.

What the hell did you do that for?

That son of a bitch shot Sergeant Poole.

Oh, fuck him.

Come on, Lonnie, let's go see what's inside.

Can you talk?

[SPEAKING FRENCH WEAKLY]

Where's your buddy?

How many of them are there?

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

The shit is that?

This Cajun got himself a couple of mink this morning.

Goddamn.

This boy is a poacher.

We poached the poachers. [LAUGHS]

Eh, Lonnie?

Yeah, well he shined his last gator.

What the hell's going on here, Casper?

We got ourselves a prisoner.

Congratulations.

I think you guys have done a wonderful job.

Hey, did you have to cut his arm off too?

REECE: I'd say he uses this dynamite to kill fish.

We got us a genuine outlaw.

Casper, all kinds of good shit in here.

Simms, I don't want you hitting him again.

You're the one that belted him.

Goddamn right.

What you want to go and do that for?

I don't know.

Just got pissed.

What the hell, man?

This army bullshit is getting to you.

Beans, hominy, spinach...

hell, this is better than C rations.

Guns, knives, ammo, supplies...

we've got it all right here.

I'd say we conducted ourselves a pretty

successful little raid.

We can pack this shit up later.

Let's get outside and interrogate the prisoner.

- Cribbs. - Yeah?

Tie up the prisoner.

How am I supposed to tie up a man when he only

has one arm to do the tying?

Maybe we ought to try talking to him first.

You speak English?

Does anybody here speak French?

Bowden?

Yeah.

Hey, what's wrong with you, coach?

Don't bother me.

Not now, not ever.

I'll give it a try.

Had me a couple years of parlez-vous in high school.

[SPEAKING ACCENTED FRENCH] Shit, I can't

remember how to say shoot.

How about bang bang?

[SPEAKING ACCENTED FRENCH] bang [SPEAKING FRENCH]??

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Well, I think he's saying he didn't do anything.

Yeah, I don't know.

Doesn't sound like any French I ever studied.

What the hell is this?

I saw him.

I was there, too, and I couldn't swear to nothing.

I can't even remember if the man had one arm.

He was more than 100 yards away, remember?

We're going to take this prisoner back with us

to staff command for interrogation.

Then he can stand trial.

Right now, I want everybody over the rain barrel.

Fill your canteens.

I want to put some miles between us and here.

Lonnie!

[GLASS SMASHING]

Bowden, you dummy, there's dynamite in there!

SOLDIER: Jesus Christ!

Hit it!

Get down!

Take cover!

[EXPLOSION BOOMS]

That'll teach them to fuck with us.

Yeah, right, can't argue with that.

What are you doing, Bowden?

You went and blew the shit out of everything.

Well, I do what I do.

Well, what'd you paint the cross on your chest for?

It's part of the joke.

What joke?

It's a corporal joke, private.

CASPER: Oh, what the hell, Bowden?

You dumb son of a bitch.

You just blew up all the supplies we captured,

and all the guns, the ammo, and the food!

Casper, there comes a time when you have to abandon

principles to do what's right.

Maybe we'd better find the interstate.

Let's get going, Casper.

I think your little raid's about finished.

Yeah, right.

All right, men, let's move out.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

Get over there.

That dumb shit Bowden.

Demolitioned that damn shack and we lost everything we captured.

Yeah, it could've worked as a signal for this bastard's

relatives to gather round.

You really think we still got to worry

about these coon asses, do you?

Hell yeah.

But I know we got to worry about a lot more, me and you.

You don't have to tell me.

Yeah, they think you boys are bad luck.

They might be right.

I been hanging around niggas my whole life,

and I haven't got a break yet.

Listen, fellas.

I'm sorry about that incident back there.

I guess I was a little, uh, overemotional.

Yeah, you could say that.

You could also say you were totally out of control.

I'm sorry, but I admired Sergeant Poole a great deal.

I liked him a lot.

I hope that that'll excuse my excessive behavior.

Sure.

Say, coach, at the risk of a punch in the mouth...

Don't worry about that, Hardin.

Why'd you paint the cross on the chest?

You know the avenging angel and all that?

I thought at least you might get it, Spencer.

Sorry to disappoint you, coach.

Well, If you'll excuse me, I think I should apologize

to the rest of the men.

I got news for you.

He's nuts.

I mean, really fucking nuts.

This is not exactly news to the rest of us.

Is that all you've got say after that whole number

he pulled back there?

What am I supposed to say?

He's a dumb son bitch.

It's real emotional, and he got pissed off.

He got pissed off, so he paints himself red,

laughs like a fucking maniac, and blows off like a volcano?

What if he is crazy?

What you want me to do about it...

put him in a cage, shoot him?

Either one sounds OK to me.

Any chance we're ever going to get out of here?

You're damn right we are.

I figure it's two hours tops till we hit the I-10.

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

REECE: Jesus.

What the hell is all this supposed to mean?

It don't mean nothing.

Just some dude drying his skins.

Funny way of stretching a skin.

You sure they weren't left for us?

There's eight of 'em.

So what?

There's eight of us.

What about this shit?

Hm?

You know what it means?

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Come on, let's keep going.

Right.

We wouldn't do any good here no matter why they was left.

[SINISTER MUSIC]

Goddammit, Casper, where's the highway?

It's been hours.

Probably right up ahead here.

Can't be too far.

Yeah, right, it used to run right through here.

Those ecology boys must moved it.

Oh, fuck you, Spencer.

[SPENCER LAUGHS]

All right, hold up.

Everybody take five.

I'm going to go get a bearing.

From what?

We don't have a compass, remember?

Have you ever taken a reading off the sun, Spencer?

Sure.

Rises in the east, sets in the west.

Interstate's north, if you ask me.

That's not where we're headed.

So why don't you go read the sun, Casper?

That's exactly what I'm going to do.

Thanks.

Say, man, this cat know what he's doing?

What do you think?

Then why the hell are we following him?

He's got stripes, that's why.

Hey, maybe some of you boys ought to remember that this

is a military operation.

Coming from you, Reece, that's real classic.

[DOG BARKING]

Hey, what the hell was that?

Dogs, man, what you think?

It's hunting dogs.

Hunting dogs mean hunting.

They can show us the way out of here.

[BARKING CONTINUES]

It's getting close.

Yeah?

Great.

Hey, Casper, we got some hunting boys nearby.

They can show us the way out of here, Casper.

They can show us the way out!

[GROWLING APPROACHES]

[FEROCIOUS BARKING]

SOLDIER: Lonnie!

[SHOUTING]

Lonnie!

Goddamn!

Agh, you son of a bitch!

Agh!

Dammit!

SOLDIER: Spencer, help!

Goddamn.

Goddamn, they got me.

SOLDIER: Ow, my arm!

Damn bastards!

CRIBBS: I'm bit!

Oh, I'm bit!

Cribbs, you all right?

He got my arm!

HARDIN: Get on over here, son. - Hardin, how bad is it?

You OK? - I think so.

Shit! - Spencer?

- Yeah. - Reece?

Sons of bitches!

Goddamn sicced their goddamn dogs on us!

[ANGRY SHOUTING] - How could they do that?

They sicced their goddamn dogs on us!

Reece!

Knock it off, dammit!

Hey, they weren't his dogs.

The hell they weren't!

Whose side are you on, anyway?

Well, I ain't on yours, Reece, that's for damn sure.

Dammit, Reece, knock it off!

All of you, knock it off!

That's just what the enemy wants is us fighting among ourselves.

Now dammit, everybody just take five.

Pull yourselves together.

And you go cool off.

Come on, man.

Spencer.

Yeah?

I want to know what the fuck's going on here.

I don't get you.

Well, I'll make it real simple.

My company transfers me to Baton Rouge.

I've been down here about six months.

And I don't know goddamn thing about the swamps of Louisiana.

I get sent out of some bullshit military exercise,

and all of a sudden, guys start coming at us

from out of the fucking trees.

Now, I'll ask you again, what the hell is going on here?

Well, I'll tell you something.

I'm just a city boy.

You got a question about what's going on here?

I haven't the slightest fucking idea.

I think we ran into some people that are real weird,

and I think maybe they're trying to kill us.

All because some asshole fired blanks

out of his damn machine gun.

Yeah.

Because a bunch of assholes stole some boats.

Yeah.

[CAJUN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

Hey, Casper, he's getting heavy.

It can't be too much longer.

Why don't we leave him and come back?

No. I told you before.

It's colder than a witch's tit, and this son of a bitch

weighs a ton.

Look, I don't want to hear you calling Poole that.

Well, he can't hear me.

Well, I can.

Shit, Casper, the cocksucker's dead!

I'm just talking about the body!

Goddammit, Reece.

I told you I didn't want to hear you call him any of that shit.

Watch out!

What?

Look what you almost stepped in.

CASPER: Jesus Christ.

Look at them bastards.

It's like a steel pussy.

[TRAPS CLANG]

Damn, man, what kind of woman you been hanging out with?

All laid out, seven of them.

Like the rabbits.

There were eight rabbits.

Then how come there's only seven of these?

Did we lose anybody?

They were set for us?

Either us or the last seven bears

in the state of Louisiana.

Hey, [SPEAKING FRENCH]?

What'd you ask him?

I asked him what they were doing there.

You son of a bitch.

Are there any more?

Huh?

Huh?

I'm talking to you. - All right, Reece.

Cut it out.

Come on, knock it off.

Now look, they didn't get us they're not gonna.

Now let's saddle up.

We've wasted enough time.

The interstate ain't that far away.

Now let's move out.

Cribbs, you take point.

Come on, Tyrone!

[SLOW CAJUN MUSIC]

Damn, Casper, I don't see why I'm point.

I don't know where the highway is,

and I know that you always talking about you

know, so why don't you come up here and be point?

No unnecessary noise, and no talking in formation.

[SCREAMING]

Cribbs!

Jesus Christ, Cribbs!

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive

those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

for thine is the kingdom...

thine is the kingdom...

thine is the kingdom...

And the power and glory, forever, amen.

We give this prayer as dead men asking for our salvation.

I don't want to hear anymore of that kind of talk.

Now, we're at war, and that's all there is to it.

I want you men to start looking like soldiers

and not like mailmen.

Weapons carried at the ready.

Now, we only got about a half hour of daylight left,

so this is it. We'll bivouac here.

A clearing this big will make it tough for those bastards

to come sneak up on us.

Right.

Hey, Casper, wait a second.

Let's talk a few things over, huh?

Tomorrow morning, the helicopters

will be out looking for us.

A damn good chance they'll find us, too if,

we stay in clear ground like this.

So all we have to worry about until then is the Cajuns,

right?

We don't know the enemy's strength or his disposition.

While he may have the advantage of familiar terrain,

we have the advantage of military training.

That's a terrific speech, Casper,

but I want to improve our odds a little bit.

What are you going after, Spencer?

SPENCER: Maybe they want this trapper man.

Maybe he's all they want.

Let's take the chance and let him go.

That man killed Poole.

The only place he's going is with us.

We don't know that he killed Poole.

He's just the first Cajun we ran into after it happened.

Hey, Spencer, you know they're fixing to kill us all.

You got it.

Look, I'm tired of hear about all of this.

Reece, you and Stuckey gag the prisoner and tie him to a tree.

Simms, go on sentry.

Casper, you're a dumb asshole.

Now, you listen to me, Spencer,

and you listen real good.

Now, tomorrow morning we're heading north...

with the prisoner, the man who killed

Crawford Poole, the man whose buddies killed Tyrone Cribbs.

In case you've forgotten, Spencer,

they were friends of ours.

Now, let's all get unpacked and bedded down.

No fire tonight.

[GRUNTS]

You all right?

Yeah, I'm OK.

You know, you might be right about the trapper.

Then why1 the hell didn't you say anything?

Maybe I can't believe any of this shit, that's why.

Oh, well let me know when you start.

Look, the problem isn't what the hell I

believe in or don't believe in.

What is?

How long we going to follow this dumb bastard Casper?

Looks to me like he's leading us around in circles.

And?

Maybe we need a new leader.

You volunteering for the job?

I'm the new boy, remember?

You know these guys.

It's your move.

Besides, I'm not the volunteering type.

[CHUCKLES] You're terrific, Hardin.

You don't want to volunteer for yourself,

but you don't mind at all volunteering

me for the court martial.

Fuck you.

I got something to tell you, Casper.

Fragmentation.

What?

Remember your training.

I'm making a grenade, here.

See, even blank rounds can save your life if you improvise.

Dammit, Casper, don't give me this crap.

This is important.

It's Bowden.

There's something wrong with him.

He won't talk.

Spencer says he's just gone totally crazy.

You better come on over.

I think he's right.

Come on.

Now look, Bowden, I know it's been

kind of rough on all of us.

I can understand you not feeling too good.

Why don't you talk to us about it?

Come on, Bowden.

Bowden, I'm giving you an order.

Now dammit, talk to us.

Hell, I don't know.

I do.

Motherfucker's crazy.

Well, what're we gonna do with him?

Leave him there, maybe he'll be better in the morning.

Like hell we are.

This is the guy that made his own bomb, remember?

We're going to tie him up.

Yeah, we wouldn't want him walking around at night

while we're sleeping.

He's way too big and dangerous.

Use your head, Casper.

He's right.

He is, Casper.

What the hell?

REECE: Won't hurt nothing to tie him up.

Ain't no good to us anyhow.

Never was, as far as that goes.

If he's tied up, we lose potential firepower.

Jesus Christ, Casper, get a goddamn rope

and quit jerking off about firepower.

You remember what happened to you the last time

you mouthed off to me?

Bullshit, Casper.

This ain't a goddamn game.

All right.

There's 40 feet of rope in my pack.

Go get it, Simms.

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[DISTANT BUBBLING]

[GURGLING]

What the hell are you doing, Reece?

This man's going to talk to me.

Let him up.

You stay out of this.

I said let him up.

Sure.

[GASPING]

Now are you happy?

That's the second time you've asked for it with me.

This time, you're going to get an answer.

It's about time I paid you off, cowboy.

How about I blow your fucking head off, Reece?

You ain't got the balls.

OK.

You got it.

[SHOUTING IN FRENCH]

[SHOUTING IN FRENCH]

[THUNDER BOOMS]

Kill him!

Kill him!

[GROANS]

He's dead.

Reece is dead.

Looks like your prisoner got away, Casper.

Lonnie!

Hey! Knock it off!

Let me go!

Let me go, goddammit!

Let me go!

I'm going to get to you, you son of a bitch.

You hear me?

I'm going to get you!

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

How many more friends are we going to be leaving back here?

No more of ours, I can tell you that.

Yeah?

You can tell me that.

Shut up.

You talking to me?

I'm talking to everybody including you.

Keep your mouth shut and dig the grave.

Why don't you dig it?

You're the one that killed him!

I'm not going to tell you again.

Just keep your fucking mouth shut

and dig that goddamn grave.

I don't want any more shit out of you, either.

Fuck, just do what the hell he says and dig.

CASPER: We've had three casualties.

We're not going to have any more.

Survival is a mental outlook.

Now, if you're not prepared mentally

to overcome all obstacles and hardships,

the chances of your coming out alive are greatly reduced.

We're getting tired of listening to all this, Casper.

Oh, goddamn you, Spencer.

I'm trying to do my best.

I know you are, Casper, but quoting the manual to us

isn't helping much.

You think you could do any better?

Yeah, I do.

CASPER: But I'm the team leader.

You're not even a corporal.

You're just a PFC.

Hey, I'm getting tired of this damn crap.

I'm with you, Spencer.

Casper, you were never going to find that fucking highway.

Casper, you promise me that this Texas asshole

is going to be court martialed?

He's got to be.

He killed a fellow soldier.

Then I'm with you.

Hardin?

What's this voting bullshit? Let's get moving.

SPENCER: Come on, Bowden, let's go home.

Spencer, you just can't walk off like this.

We're a squad, a unit.

We're Bravo team.

You guys are deserting.

You bet your ass we are.

Are you coming?

Come on, Stuckey, let's go.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

- How's your arm? - It'll be all right.

Look, for what it's worth, I know Reece

was a real son of a bitch.

I don't want to talk about him.

Yeah, well, maybe it was self-defense.

Look, let's just drop it.

It's over with.

Right.

Hey, Spencer, what chance do we got?

You're always so smart about everything.

Now you're the leader.

So give me an answer.

Well, right now, they got state troopers,

helicopters, hound dogs, everybody in Louisiana

out looking for us.

I tell you, Spencer, I've had it with them hound dogs.

I'll tell you something else, who's ever looking for us,

they better make it quick.

[DISTANT RUSTLING]

Hey!

[GUNSHOTS RING]

Come on!

Simms!

What the fuck is going on?

I thought I saw something.

Where?

Over there.

Are you sure?

I didn't hear anything.

Me neither.

Didn't you hear it?

You must've heard it!

I didn't hear nothing.

You wasted your bullets just like Bowden did.

Well, there's nothing now.

What the fuck?

Come on.

Let's take off.

Motherfuckers!

[GUNFIRE]

SPENCER: Simms Simms!

Simms!

Simms!

Simms!

Mama!

Mama!

Mama!

Christ.

They dug 'em up.

They dug 'em all up.

[TREE CRACKING]

[SCREAMING]

SPENCER: Everybody out of the way!

Come on!

Get out of the way!

Come on!

[SHOUTING]

[TREES CRACKING AND BOOMING]

Come on, this way!

SOLDIER: Come on, this way!

Let's get out of here!

Everybody take cover!

Come on!

[GUN FIRING]

Bowden, for Christ's sakes!

They've outflanked us.

We're pinned down.

I want you to cover me, Simms.

With what?

All I got is blanks.

No radio contact, no ammo, no air support, no mortars.

How in the hell are we supposed to fight with that?

Don't fucking ask me, Casper.

You're the one who's supposed to know that.

Well the fire the goddamn blanks.

Use anything you got.

[GUN FIRING]

[GRENADE EXPLODES]

We got four bullets.

I got mine.

You shot yours, asshole.

Shh, get ready.

[GUNFIRE RINGING]

Come on.

We've got to retreat.

Retreat, retreat!

Fall back, fall back!

[PANTING]

Listen.

What?

Listen!

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

I don't hear anything.

I can hear it.

[HELICOPTER APPROACHING]

There!

[SHOUTING]

We're here!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

We're down here!

Hey!

We're down here!

Hey!

Over here!

MEN: Hey, down here!

Hey, down here!

Where the hell's it going?

Look down here!

SOLDIER: Here we are!

MEN: Hey!

Hey!

We're here!

Down here!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Come back!

Hey!

Hey!

Well, if he did see us, he's got to come back for us.

He couldn't land here. There's too many trees.

Hey, where's Stuckey?

[HELICOPTER ROARING]

Wait!

Help me!

Please!

Stuckey!

Stuckey!

Shit.

All right, we spread out.

We've got to find him.

Buddy teams... me and Hardin.

I'll take Bowden.

Casper, you go with Simms.

First team to find him, fire a blank every five minutes.

The other team will work its way there.

OK?

What if we don't find him?

SPENCER: We'll wait an hour, fire five blanks.

Then, one blank every five minutes.

Both teams will work back to each other.

Let's go.

Stuckey?

Stuckey!

Stuckey, you dumb fucking redneck, where are you?

Shit!

Hey!

Dirty sons of bitches.

Go on, Simms, get back to the others.

You're crazy.

Go on.

- [SHOUTING] You're crazy! - You heard me!

Go on, get out of here!

[BUILDING EERIE MUSIC]

[GUNS BLASTING]

I didn't do anything wrong.

I'm not supposed to be here.

I'm not supposed to be here.

[GUN BLASTS]

[SPLASHES]

Stuckey!

[BLANKS FIRING]

I think all we're doing is telling

the opposition where we are.

They hadn't had too much trouble finding us up to now.

Casper!

Simms!

Come on, let's go.

We've got to go for ourselves, now.

If the others make it, than they make it.

Yeah, I'll go.

[MELANCHOLY CAJUN MUSIC]

Boy, it's a great state you got here, Spencer.

Sent out one fucking helicopter.

Well, what do you want 'em to do,

sent out the National Guard?

Civilian in peace, soldier in war.

I am the Guard.

Bowden?

Hey Bowden?

Do you want to talk?

Hey, coach?

What's he coach anyway?

Football.

What else?

I think he teaches history or something, too.

Looks like it's all history for him now, poor bastard.

Could be history for a couple other poor bastards around here

if we don't get a break.

Yeah.

You know, tomorrow about this time

you'll be sitting in your den with a beer in your hand,

looking at the tube and listening

to your old lady bullshit.

I know have a den.

I'll buy you one, if we ever get out of here.

Great.

How long have you been married?

Five years.

Happy?

Hmm?

As in, happily married?

Yeah.

I like her.

She's got a good sense of humor. What's it to you?

I just thought if I got out of here

and you didn't, maybe I'd look her up.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

I said she had a good sense of humor.

I don't.

Yeah.

Mine's stretched a bit thin, too, at the moment.

[SIGHS]

Since they got the trapper back,

they must be hunting us just for the fun of it.

You got an idea of something we can do about it,

or are you just talking for the record?

I'll tell you what I'm saying for the record.

I want to live.

I don't know how I'm gonna do it,

but I'm gonna fight my way out of here.

Well, uh, don't forget save me a seat, pal.

Don't worry.

You got it.

[DISTANT RUMBLING]

[RUMBLING INTENSIFIES]

[TRAIN HONKING]

Let's go!

Poor son of a bitch.

[GUN COCKS]

I'm not going to kill you all if I don't got to.

You got a bayou over here.

Take it.

Stay to the west side.

You want to find a road about a mile up there.

Do you mind telling us what's going on?

It's real simple.

We live back in here.

This is our home, and nobody don't fuck with us.

What about him?

CAJUN: What about him?

Did he do it to himself, or did your friends help him out?

[GUN FIRES]

If I was you all, I'd quit asking questions

and haul ass, because my buddies...

they're not nice like me.

Are we supposed to say thanks?

You're not supposed to say nothing, soldier.

Come on, Hardin.

Over there.

A truck.

A fucking truck!

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Huh?

CAJUN: Uh, you lose you in there?

Ah, yeah.

You want a ride, huh?

God, yes.

[SPEAKING FRENCH],, uh, throw you in the back.

Sure, you bet.

Next town, right?

That's right, yeah.

SPENCER: Great.

[PIGS GRUNTING]

[JOYOUS CAJUN MUSIC]

Can't be Catahoula.

Some backwoods stop.

Yeah, well what happened to that town

they were taking us to?

I guess this is it.

Say, where's a telephone?

[SPEAKING FRECH] telephone, you see?

We got the electric lights, but we don't got the telephone.

We want to go to a town with a telephone.

This first.

I'm going town more later.

No, we want to go to town now.

Oh, no.

Have something to drink.

It's a good time with us.

[SPEAKING FRENCH] Make that telephone more later.

CAJUN WOMAN: Y'all come with me.

I'm going to show you where you can wash yourself.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Wash up?

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

What do you think?

I think I feel better...

cleaner, anyway.

Yeah?

Well, what about safer?

Well, I wouldn't lie down and go to sleep.

Maybe we ought to forget about Mr. and Mrs. Cajun

and try to find the next town by ourselves.

What for?

If they're still hunting us, they'll find us in the swamp.

We'll be safer here.

OK.

But we grab a ride with the first thing out of here.

[JOYOUS CAJUN MUSIC CONTINUES]

Beer?

Oh, merci.

Relax, Hardin.

These are the good Cajuns.

Them other guys are a long ways back.

You relax.

[FOLK SINGING IN FRENCH]

Look at those two guys.

What two guys?

Getting out out of the boat.

Yeah.

You think they're the ones that have been after us?

SPENCER: Hell, I don't know.

I never seen 'em.

HARDIN: I think it's them.

Don't go getting paranoid on me.

I got reason to be paranoid and so do you.

They got to kill us.

We're the only witnesses.

Don't sweat it.

They can't pull anything here in front of everybody.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Huh?

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Dance?

Dance.

[SINGING CONTINUES]

SPENCER: I'm telling you, Hardin, relax.

Right.

Excuse moi.

[MUSIC CONCLUDES]

[MERRY CAJUN MUSIC BEGINS AGAIN]

[MUSIC CONCLUDES]

[APPLAUSE]

[DOOR SLAMS OPEN]

[GUN BLASTS]

[GASPING]

[GUN FIRING]

[SCREAMING]

[SWINGING CAJUN MUSIC]

[SINGING IN FRENCH]

[HELICOPTER APPROACHING]

[MUSIC CONCLUDES]

[BELL RINGS]

[SOUND WARPS AND SLOWS]

[PEACEFUL CAJUN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]