Tom Berenger: Sgt. Barnes

Platoon

Sgt. Barnes

Sgt. Barnes: Talking about killing? Y'all experts? Y'all know about killing? I'd like to hear about it, potheads.
[takes pipe and inhales drag]
Sgt. Barnes: Why do you smoke this shit? So as to escape from reality? Me, I don't need this shit. I am reality. There's the way it ought to be. And there's the way it is. Elias was full of shit. Elias was a crusader. Now, I got no fight with any man who does what he's told, but when he don't, the machine breaks down. And when the machine breaks down, we break down. And I ain't gonna allow that in any of you. Not one.
[hands pipe back and spits]
Sgt. Barnes: Y'all love Elias. Oh, you wanna kick ass. Yeah. Well, here I am, all by my lonesome, and ain't nobody gonna know. Six of you boys against me. Kill me. Huh. I shit on all of you.

Sgt. O'Neill: Bob, I got a bad feeling on this one, all right? I mean, I got a bad feeling. I don't think I'm gonna make it out of here. You understand what I'm saying to you?
Sgt. Barnes: Everybody got to die sometime, Red.

Sgt. Barnes: Y'all take a good look at this lump of shit. Remember what it looks like. You fuck up in a firefight and I goddamn guarantee you a trip out of the bush in a body bag! Out here, assholes, you keep your shit wired tight at all times!
[to Taylor]
Sgt. Barnes: And that goes for you, shit-for-brains. You don't sleep on no fucking ambush!
[to Junior]
Sgt. Barnes: And the next son of a bitch I catch copping "Z"s in the bush, I'm personally gonna take an interest in seeing him suffer. I shit you not. Doc, tag him and bag him.

Sgt. Barnes: Elias was full of shit. Elias was a crusader. Now, I got no fight with any man who does what he's told, but when he don't, the machine breaks down. And when the machine breaks down, we break down. And I ain't gonna allow that in any of you. Not one.

Sgt. Barnes: Martin, get your boots on. And the next time I catch you spraying skeeter repellent on your fucking feet, I'm gonna court-martial your nigger ass.
Junior: Well, then court-martial me, motherfucker! Bust my ass. Send me to fucking Long Binh! You do your fucking worst! You white folks have got your last klick out of Junior!
Sgt. Barnes: O'Neill, get me that centipede.
Sgt. O'Neill: Sergeant?
Sgt. Barnes: Yeah, that long, hairy, red and black bastard I found in the ammo crate. I'm gonna put it in this boy's crotch, see if he can walk.
Sgt. O'Neill: I remember now.

Sgt. Barnes: [to Lt. Wolfe after giving wrong target grid for mortar-fire] You ignorant asshole! What the fuck coordinates you giving? You wasted a lot of people up there with your fucked-up fire mission! You know that? You know that? Ah, shit!

[after the final battle, Taylor picks up an AK-47 and encounters a wounded Barnes]
Sgt. Barnes: Get me a medic. Go on, boy!
[Taylor refuses to budge, and aims the AK-47 at Barnes]
Sgt. Barnes: Do it.
[Taylor shoots Barnes three times, killing him]

Sgt. Barnes: You don't tell me how to run my war, Elias! Now you go cryin' and rat-fuckin' the brigade on your own time, but out here, you belong to me! Now move!
Sgt. Elias: You're an asshole, Barnes.

Sgt. Barnes: You're dead, Elias! I swear to fuckin' God, you're dead!
Sgt. Elias: You're gonna do time in LBJ! This shit won't wash, you fucking puke!

[During the interrogation of a village chief after the platoon finds hidden weapons]
Pvt. Gator Lerner: Says they had no choice. Says the NVA killed the old honcho when he said no. Now he says all the rice is theirs.
Sgt. Barnes: Oh, bullshit, Lerner.

Sgt. O'Neill: Guy's in three years, he thinks he's Jesus fucking Christ or something.
Sgt. Barnes: O'Neill, your short-timers stay in, but you go out. I need veterans out there.
[walks away, Wolf follows]
Lt. Wolf: Sergeant Barnes. Sergeant. I think, in front of the men, it's necessary for me to give the orders.
Sgt. Barnes: [intimidatingly moves in close] Yes sir.

Sgt. Barnes: Boy, what you waiting for? Ain't gonna bite you. That's a good gook. Good and dead.

Lt. Wolf: Two-five-two actual. Move it out. Six says we're jamming them up back there. Over.
Sgt. Barnes: Tell that dipshit to get unfucked.
Lt. Wolf: [to the radio] This is Two-Five, be advised. We're moving out shortly. Out.
Sgt. Barnes: [to Chris] What the hell's the matter with you, Taylor? You are one simple son of a bitch.

Sgt. Barnes: [In the foxhole Barnes checks the soles of Junior's bare feet. Bunny and O'Neill looking on. Junior is moaning as if he's dying, overdoing it by a mile] So what's the problem?
Sgt. O'Neill: Says he can't walk.
Sgt. Barnes: Shit. Get your boots on Martin, next time I catch you putting mosquito repellant on your fuckin feet I'm gonna courtmartial your nigger ass.
Junior: [cracks] DEN COURTMARTIAL ME MOTHERFUCKAH, bust my ass, send me to Long Binh, do your worst but I ain't walking no more. De white man done got his last klik outta me. Get some chuck dude to hump this shit.
Sgt. Barnes: [suddenly soft] Get me that centipede, O'Neill.
[O'Neill is puzzled. What centipede?]
Sgt. O'Neill: Sarge?
Sgt. Barnes: Yeah. That long hairy orange and black bastard I found in the ammo crate. I'm gonna put it in this asshole's crotch, see if he can walk.
[Junior's eyes bulge with suspicion and sudden terror, his demeanor totally alert now]
Sgt. O'Neill: [understanding] Oh yeah, right away Sarge.
Junior: No! Wait! I'll walk, fuck you, I'll walk, I don't need this shit! I don't need this shit!
Bunny: Fucking pussy, fuck it Sarge, I gotta have him on my hole?

Pvt. Gator Lerner: He swears he doesn't know anything. He hates the NVA but they come whenever they want. They just take what the... .
Sgt. Barnes: What's the bitch sayin'?
Pvt. Gator Lerner: I don't know. She's going on about, why do we have to kill their farmers and their pigs. They gotta make a living. All that kind of shit.
Sgt. Barnes: Jesus!

Sgt. Barnes: You get Crawford in now, before I Article 15 both your asses. Move! Move it.