There is a lot of truth to that, and it applies to many of the other films people have mentioned in this thread.

It's easy to see why someone would find aspects of 'Saving Private Ryan' attractive (eg: Private Jackson, the sharpshooter), and it doesn't require much imagination to see how aspects even of Nazi villains can be attractive (they had the best uniforms).

It's more difficult to see how 'Born on the Fourth of July' would leave anyone - even a sadist - enthusiastic about war.

It's not like Kubrik's 'Clockwork Orange' in which some of the violence, in a sick way, empowers the main character.

Instead, the main character pathetically bumbles into shooting people he doesn't mean to, is shot himself, and turns into an angry loser in a wheelchair (until he finds his calling as a peace activist).