Watching Aliens, the part where they all wake up from cryo together and all the ritualized griping is absolutely masking this ‘Nam vet “we’re only good for war” cameraderie, the whole Soldier of Fortune vibe, I only just get that

Of the franchises that reacted to Reagan, Rambo: First Blood II was “what if we refought 'Nam but seriously and won”, Aliens was “what if we refought 'Nam with all our new toys and still lost”