Platoon (1986) User Reviews

The quintessential Vietnam war movie

[SnoopyStyle · 9/10 · 28 November 2013]

It's September 1967, and Chris (Charlie Sheen) has just arrived in Vietnam. He is sheltered and his father and grandfather fought in the military. As the new guy, nobody cares to be his friend. Lt. Wolfe (Mark Moses) is a weak ineffective leader. His men are divided in two. Some are followers of the cruel Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger). Others are followers of the humane Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe). In the end, Barnes and Elias are in a struggle for Chris' soul.

This is the quintessential Vietnam war movie. Oliver Stone has recreated the jungle combat and placed a morality tale in the middle of it. It is possibly Charlie Sheen's greatest performance. His innocence at the beginning evolves into a grizzled veteran fighter. The combat is so realistic, and the story is so compelling. It is a must see for all movie goers.

within Vietnam and beyond

[red_core · 9/10 · 8 May 2004]

Platoon is generally regarded as one of the strongest anti-war films of all time. While this is certainly true, what's often overlooked -- at least after only one run through the film -- is that it's chiefly a tale of God vs. Satan, and the war is there to set a perilous backdrop. No doubt, Platoon shows the Vietnam War was a big mistake, but being a fictional documentary on Vietnam is far from its purpose.

The story is told from the point of view of Chris Taylor (solidly played by Charlie Sheen), a middle class kid who goes to Vietnam to do what he thinks is his patriotic duty. In the first ten minutes, Chris is shown in the uncomfortable jungle, struggling just to survive in the natural environment, let alone do any actual damage to the enemy. Quickly we're introduced to the well-known facets of the Vietnam War: The lack of sense of purpose, the wraith-like enemies, the obvious prevalence of the uneducated and poor among the fighting grunts -- and, soon, we see how these factors combine to cause widespread low morale and some actions of more than questionable ethical value.

Chris sees his platoon fragmented into two halves, each aligned with one of two men -- Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger). These two really are the driving force behind the film. They both have nominally the same enemy (the Viet Cong), but, really, it doesn't take long to realize that Elias is Good, and Barnes is Evil (the "enemy" does not enter into the moral equation of this film, at all -- it's an outside threat, same as malaria-carrying mosquitoes or even friendly fire). I won't deny it is a very black-vesus-white relationship, but this polarity does not feel contrived. Elias feels the futility of the war and has respect for life; Barnes fights the war doggedly and has no compassion, period. Both are efficient soldiers fighting the same enemy, but really -- as is at one point aptly put by Chris Taylor himself -- they are fighting for the souls of the platoon members, as the outcome of the war is never really in doubt.

Elias/Barnes' hold on the platoon, and the viewer, is developed through several war sequences. A chilling scene takes place in a village, where our soldiers find no VC, but they do find a cache of VC weapons. The inhumanity of certain soldiers, including of Sgt. Barnes, is unflinchingly shown here. It leaves the viewer with an empty feeling that is hard to shake, reminding of the similarly empty look on a woman's face after she sees her son killed in front her.

Elias doesn't take kindly to this kind of behavior. Elias and Barnes come closer and closer to open conflict, as Taylor becomes a veteran, obviously siding with Elias. Meanwhile, the fate of the platoon comes closer and closer to them, culminating in an explosively shot action conclusion. The end is dark, but morally satisfying.

Don't watch this movie for the action. That's not to say it's not well shot, or unrealistic. On the contrary. It's quite convincing. But it doesn't show war as a fun sport, and it's never a question of good guys versus bad guys. There will be no cheering for the "good guys" or anyone else in this one. Stone succeeds brilliantly at putting the viewer into the middle of it all, and it's not a pretty sigh (and definitely not for the squeamish, either).

On the other hand, if you want great acting, it's here. Dafoe and Berenger do incredibly well, with the incredibly good (and seemingly authentically sounding) script. Barnes is horrific as he challenges three men to kill him, drinking hard liquor out of the bottle. They don't make a move, and neither will you, though you'll hate him just as much as them. Dafoe is a ray of light in the dark as Elias. The cast is rounded out with many characters, all well played, and adding another dimension to the film.

The technical aspects of the film are superb, though one never thinks about them much, as the movie is completely engrossing. The production values seem quite good, as well. The most stunning peripheral aspect of this film, however, is the music. It's emotional and draining, and used to great effect -- listen for the main theme as you watch the village burn.

Watch this one a few times, and you'll likely be quite moved each time. I'll be surprised if you give it less than what I gave it: 9/10

Platoon focuses on the moral decay of the soldiers in the most unpopular war in modern American history

[asifahsankhan · 8/10 · 2 February 2018]

Many great war films of the Vietnam conflict are centered around these themes of blurred morality and the uselessness of war, and Oliver Stone's Platoon is among the most well known. Stone, who wrote and directed the film and also served as an infantryman in Vietnam, first rose to fame for his war films that dramatized the infamous Cold War conflict. The main premise of his magnum opus are the inner conflicts within US forces deployed to southeast Asia, rather than the actual physical conflicts between them and the Communist-allied Vietnamese forces. More broadly, Platoon analyzes the "duality of man" concept that has been studied in numerous other works, from fellow Vietnam War films like Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Apocalypse Now (1979), all the way back to the latter's source material and inspiration in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.

Platoon focuses on the moral decay of soldiers in American units, and how this contributes to their inability to fight their Vietnamese enemies. Charlie Sheen sums up this theme with his on-the-nose voiceover, "We did not fight the enemy, we fought ourselves... and the enemy was in us."

Vietnam War-movies tend to be even harder to watch than most war flicks, as the lines between the "heroes" and "villains" are blurred more than in any other dramatized period of warfare in recent human history. In wars like World War II, which are widely known for being as black and white as military conflicts have become, the contrasting features between the heroic forces we are meant to root for and their opposing enemy platoons are well defined. That is almost never the case with the United States-North Vietnamese/Vietcong conflict in Vietnam during the overarching Cold War.

That is not to say that most wars throughout human history have not been many shades of grey, with the winners and losers not always corresponding with the righteous and evil. But because of the guerrilla nature and infamous legacy of the Vietnam War itself - namely, the immense public protest against American involvement - the Vietnam War remains by far the most unpopular war in modern American history. With that said, most of the film is fantastic, from the aforementioned narrative to the grim lightning of the southeast Asian jungles that emphasize the film's tone, to the poignant, melancholic score.

A Realistic Vietnam film Oliver's Stone's masterpiece

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 14 October 2015]

Platoon is a 1986 American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone one of the most strongest realistic anti war films of all time. It is one of the best Vietnam war films I have ever seen that won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1986 and best Director for Oliver Stone, as well as Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing. Stone's Vietnam film portrayed a real life human been on his point of view of the story telling that went on in his real life that he experienced after his tour of duty in Vietnam ended in 1968, Oliver Stone wrote a screenplay called Break: a semi-autobiographical account detailing his experiences and the life he was in Vietnam. The characters were portrayed more then a few soldiers they were portrayed more as a human been than been soldiers obeying an order.Platoon shows the Vietnam War was a big mistake, but being a fictional documentary on Vietnam is far from its purpose. It is one of my personal favorite war movies. I love this movie to death.

Those of us who did make it have an obligation to build again, to teach to others what we know, and to try with what's left of our lives to find a goodness and meaning in this life.

In Platoon, Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) is a young, naive U.S. soldier who, upon his arrival to Vietnam, quickly discovers that he must do battle not only with the Viet Cong, but also with the gnawing fear, physical exhaustion and intense anger growing within him. While his two commanding officers draw a fine line between the war they wage against the enemy and the one they fight with each other, the conflict, chaos and hatred permeate Taylor, suffocating his realities and numbing his feelings to man's highest value... life.

Chris sees his platoon fragmented into two halves, each aligned with one of two men -- Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger). Those two soldiers are really two positive good things to see in the film because it sets the viewer on the seat of the edge. They both have nominally the same enemy (Viet Cong), but, really, it doesn't take long to realize that Elias is Good, and Barnes is Evil (the "enemy" does not enter into the moral equation of this film, at all it's an outside threat, same as malaria-carrying mosquitoes or even friendly fire). Elias feels the futility of the war and has respect for life; Barnes fights the war doggedly and has no compassion, period. Both are efficient soldiers fighting the same enemy, but really as is at one point aptly put by Chris Taylor himself,they are fighting for the souls of the platoon members, as the outcome of the war is never really in doubt.

The platoon reaches the village, where a food and weapons cache is discovered. While questioning the village chief, Barnes loses his patience and senselessly kills the man's wife despite his denials that they are aiding the Viet Cong. Barnes is about to murder the man's young daughter to force him to tell them to where the enemy is.

Elias doesn't take kindly to this kind of behavior. Elias and Barnes come closer and closer to open conflict, as Taylor becomes a veteran, obviously siding with Elias. Meanwhile, the fate of the platoon comes closer and closer to them, culminating in an explosively shot action conclusion. The end is dark, but morally satisfying.

Platoon is a legendary film. A film that I will always cherish, and a film that I will never get tired of. And the last Vietnam film worth a damn to watch. There isn't any War film today that was filmed as really human drama war today in 2015. It respectively represents the very essence of purposefully haunting powerful cinematography in the history.-- It is representing admirable cinematic craftsmanship and storytelling. A film that is sometimes impossible to watch for its frighteningly intense and emotionally draining account of the Vietnam War as it is waged both on the battlefields and within the very souls of men.

The best real human drama portrayed on screen anti-war film in Vietnam from the 80's, It is my favorite film that I will always love to death to see. I also don't watch this film for an action ; I actually see it for the war and how it everything was, what is more valuable and it is life: The film also have a message in it. The actors portraying the characters did make a believable performance as the real team of squad soldier fighting the Enemy the Viet Cong.

The battles with Viet-Cong are shown realistic mostly on the end of the final battle. 10/10

Perfection... or as close to it as we're ever likely to see

[blinkchester · 28 April 2004]

Its hard to know where to start with such a breathtaking film. Oliver Stone's Platoon is quite simply the best Vietnam war film ever made in my opinion. Everything about it is as close to perfection as we are likely to see. Charlie Sheen plays the lead, and Willem Defoe and Tom Berenger play the two sergeants that form a key part of the plot.

Chris Taylor (Sheen) is torn between the sergeants. Barnes (Berenger) is the battle hardened, brutal murderer, who uses the war as an excuse to tender to his sadistic pleasures. Elias (Defoe) is the other side of the spectrum. We get the sense that he has wrestled with his inner demons, but he has successfully come through to the other side. He has compassion for his fellow man, and he uses drugs as a form of escapism from this brutal war. The two symbolise the struggle that Taylor must face if he is to survive out in Vietnam.

Oliver Stone perfectly captures war. The shooting is frantic and impossible to follow. It perfectly disorientates us, just as the soldiers were. We have no idea who is being shot at, and neither do they. We follow the war at ground level, and see the brutalities first hand. Having served in Vietnam, the film is loosely based on Stone's time out there, and Taylor loosely based on himself.

Full Metal Jacket showcases how inhumane the war was, Apocalypse Now turns it into a story about life in general, and hopelessness, but Platoon has everything. Trying hard to avoid the old cliché, but if you only watch one war film, make sure it is this one. Nothing else can come close.

Still packs a punch 30 years on

[tomgillespie2002 · 9/10 · 27 October 2016]

Ever since Steven Spielberg wowed the cinematic world and changed the aesthetic of the war movie forever with the exceptional opening 25 minutes of 1998's Saving Private Ryan - the film went downhill from there - audiences have come to expect the same grainy camera-work and ultra-realism of Spielberg's breathtaking vision whenever a battle is depicted. Anything else would be 'unrealistic', and many movies dated horribly almost overnight as a result. While Oliver Stone's Platoon, which was once considered difficult to watch due to its unflinching depiction of the insanity of war, may not seem quite as brutal as it used to, it possesses one thing that no war other movie can boast - the guiding hand of a veteran.

Stone did a tour in Vietnam which ended in 1968, changing the future writer/director forever. Starting out life as a screenplay focusing on a soldier's experiences both before and during the war which had Jim Morrison touted for the lead, it evolved into a movie focused solely on a young volunteer's time spent in the sweaty, eternally damp jungle. Charlie Sheen's Chris Taylor is an obvious stand-in for Stone, and he arrives fresh-faced and eager to fight for his country. By the end, he is dazed and confused, and angry at the country who would send such "bottom of the barrel" men - invisible in society - into a world of such horror and meaningless bloodshed. It's an experience that moulded Stone into the one of the most outspoken voices in cinema.

The casting of the two sergeants vying for Chris' soul is a stroke of genius. The platoon is made up of two main groups - the 'juicers', a collection of beer-swilling meat-heads seemingly intent on violence at every opportunity, and the 'heads', a more laid-back and weary bunch who are happiest when getting high and having a singalong. At the head of the juicers is Sgt. Barnes, played by Tom Berenger, an actor known for his heart-throb leading-man roles but here cast as a dead-eyed, heavily scarred brute. While Willem Dafoe, who was and still is known for his crazy-eyed villainous roles, plays the wiser, gentler leader of the heads, an all-round good guy battling his own demons. By toying with expectations, Stone adds layers to their characters, and they both received Best Actor nominations for their efforts.

Yet what makes Platoon truly stand out 30 years after its release is the way Stone manages to transport the audience to that terrible place. It's teeming with dangers at every turn, be it the ants, the snakes or the Viet Cong better equipped for the harsh surroundings, the most frightening moment is when they fall asleep. And even when they awake, there's something moving in the shadows. The film never allows you to ever be at ease, despite the fun to be had with spotting the many famous faces dotted throughout the supporting cast. There are flaws, especially with some overacting from some of the supporting cast - in particular John C. McGinley - and Chris' unnecessary, rambling narration, but the movie packs such a punch that it's easy to forget these quibbles. It's a true insight into the mind of a grunt and how combat can have a lasting, eye-opening effect on those on the ground, and undoubtedly one of the most important war pictures ever to come out of the US.

Pivotal at the time but hasn't aged as well as some other Vietnam films

[Red-Barracuda · 6/10 · 1 June 2015]

Platoon is the film that not only put director Oliver Stone well and truly on the Hollywood map, its huge critical and commercial success also would set the Vietnam War film cycle into hyper-drive. It centres on a platoon on a tour of duty in Vietnam through the eyes of a young recruit who quit college to volunteer for active service. It is in essence a combat film where the view is at ground level. In this sense it mixes traditional gun battles with the smaller more personal details that show the discomfort of life in the jungle. Its approach was very realistic for its time and in some ways it did reinvent what a war film could be.

While it does have many scenes of combat action, they are pretty messy and unglorified and the film has a pretty clear anti-war message. This is conveyed in quite a major way by how the platoon itself is portrayed. It's divided into two camps led by two diametrically opposite sergeants Barnes and Elias (Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe, respectively). The former is a facially scarred, violent man, while the latter is a morally sensitive borderline hippy. They show both sides of the American thinking about the war, with Barnes and his alcohol drinking followers the ugly brutal side of the coin and Elias and his marijuana smoking buddies the ones who question the participation of their country. This dramatic tension is brought fully to the fore in the pivotal moment of the film where the platoon commit mass murder and rape in a village, in a nod to arguably the most infamous real event in the war, a massacre at the village of Mai Lai in 1968.

The dramatic conflict, while being the real meat of the film, does look quite overly simplistically done to my eyes now, with the evil Barnes and his bevvy merchant bad boys set against the hippy-like Elias and his chilled-out troops. It comes across as too black and white. It gets the message across but it does so with little subtlety or grey areas. I think Platoon overall, has aged a little worse than some of its contemporaries like Apocalypse Now (1979), Full Metal Jacket (1987) or Casualties of War (1989). This is probably a lot to do with Stone's overly politicised message, while the classical music which soundtracks the grimmest moments probably felt original at the time but now almost comes across as, dare I say it, a little cheesy. The film benefits somewhat from having quite a good cast, some of whom are actors who would go onto big careers, although in truth future mega star Johnny Depp makes absolutely no impression whatsoever in his minor role as a translator.

All-in-all, Platoon is still an impressive combat film but it's one which for me has not aged too great in other ways. It still has historical importance as a key entry in the sub-genre though.

One Of The Best Movies Of The 1980s

[Theo Robertson · 9/10 · 3 September 2003]

The 1980s in general and the mid 1980s in particular aren't highly regarded where pop culture is concerned , this is most especially true in cinema where films seemed to be written around their soundtrack in much the same way as Hollywood movies nowadays seem to be written around their special effects . PLATOON is one of the very few films from that period that has an emotional impact , an impact that it still retains while watching it in 2003.

Everyone else seems to have mentioned what makes PLATOON a classic anti-war ( Note it's anti-war , not anti American or anti soldier ) movie along with being a classic movie , so I won't go over old ground except to say THAT death scene is up there with all the other tear jerking scenes from 20th century cinema , don't be ashamed to say you cried

If PLATOON has a flaw it's in its duality , there's the good Sarge/bad Sarge , good officer/bad officer , good white guy/bad white guy , good black guy/bad black boy etc which is maybe a bit clichéd and possibly leads me to believe Stone is making an excuse/reason that the Americans lost in Vietnam because that spent so much fighting each other rather than the VC ( Though I do concede I'm possibly misinterpreting that as an excuse or even a reason since no one will confuse the politics of Stone with the politics of John Wayne ) while Taylor's character comes across as being more of a literary device rather than a real human being , but these are minor flaws

It's a shame to see war films from the last few years devoid of scathing anti-war sentiments like the ones seen here . PLATOON screams at you " War is hell and whatever the rights and wrongs of conflict you need a bloody good reason to wage war . Vietnam wasn't a good enough reason to sacrifice human lives "

Solid war movie

[christophe92300 · 7/10 · 1 October 2012]

Though I'm not a war movie fan, I thought Platoon was a solid film.

Oliver Stone did a great job at directing, with perfect shots especially during the combat scenes. Great cast, but you can only admire Sheen's performance as the rest of the actors is a bit in the background to me. Now on the other hand, I felt the movie could have used some extra dynamic script-wise, because even though it is a good storytelling, it is a bit linear.

I rated Platoon 7/10, because I'm not fond of war films, but I have to admit it is a solid one that conveys emotion especially through Sheen's character.

Shows the harsh realities of war very effectively

[Lt_Coffey_182 · 8/10 · 23 January 2006]

The Vietnam War has been one of the controversial wars in history and was an unpleasant experience for everyone involved. Oliver Stone harnessed these experiences to make Platoon; a film where he could illustrate to everyone what Vietnam was like from his perspective.

In my opinion, this is the best war movie ever made. The sheer horror of war is captured so well in everyway. The fear of death, compatriots dying, divisions in the platoon, guilt of killing; it's all there and Stone doesn't try to disguise it. Platoon is very honestly written and it is this honesty that makes the film so great. Platoon isn't an anti war movie and it certainly does not glorify war in anyway, it is simply how war is in its entirety. There are some shocking scenes such as the one in the Vietnamese village but there are also more light hearted moments such as where the troops on Dafoe's side are partying and having a good time. On base camp, there is great contrast with the mood but on the forest, it is just fear, aggression and blood, nothing else.

Taylor's (Charlie Sheen) story is very good as he experiencing war at the same time of the audience. Before the war, he was a rich kid who loved his grandma and it is how war changes him that is truly fascinating. The character story that always receives most praise however is that between Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Elias (Willem Dafoe) is very compelling and leads to some great scenes with them and carves an interesting divide within the camp. This film is big on character and explores many relationships but (take note Jarhead) doesn't sacrifice any action time for these scenes. Stone struck a perfect balance between action and story.

Acting from everyone involved is very good. Sheen as the naïve newcomer is very good and after this, should have done much better for himself than he did. Dafoe and Berenger, once again steal the attention off the lead. Their extreme contrasting personalities is brilliantly done and raises the standard of the film. Berenger is truly terrifying, he didn't hold back in this one. Dafoe is much more sympathetic and will speak his mind to anyone. Johnny Depp makes one of his early film appearances with a small, yet memorable role. The way Sheen is wearing Depp's bandana after Lerner (Depp) gets taken by the chopper is discretely done but touching.

Platoon is the best war movie there's ever been. Stone wrote and directed this film with such passion that it couldn't be anything but good. A great mix of characters, a great cast and such well crafted action scenes are all what you need for an exceptional war movie and they're all here. The film ends perfectly as we are given a chance to reflect and take it in before the credits start rolling. Stone, who often misses the point with his films, hit the nail on the head with this one.

Uncomfortable but very worthy view of war's impact on the young

[bob the moo · 3 July 2002]

At the height of the Vietnam War, America's teens are drafted into the war effort to find themselves in the middle of hell. One such young man is Chris Taylor. He is placed in a squadron where two sergeants have different approaches to the war – Elias is more about surviving without being brutal or cruel, whereas Barnes is crueller, more ruthless and more violent. During the course of his term, Taylor's very soul is torn between the two men as he deals with what he must do.

The first film in Oliver Stone's unofficial trilogy is arguably the best of the three. The basic story not only shows us what the war was like for those serving but also how the different personalities come out of those involved in it. As we follow Taylor we see him change as he is influenced by those around him and by his situation. It makes for an uncomfortable film but one that's worth watching. It's certainly a better war movie than things like Wild Geese or The Dirty Dozen, simply because it's a little more real to what happens than those ones.

Charlie Sheen has never been better than when he's acting for Stone. Here he gives one of his best ever performances as the innocent who is changed. Willem Dafoe is a great actor and here is no different – he also gives us one of the film's most enduring images so I'm a little biased. Berenger is another one for whom it's hard to think of a higher point reached than when he did this film. He is brutal and ruthless but he makes us support him in a strange way. The support cast are all good and contains a few famous faces (John C McGinley, Whitaker, Depp) however this is really a three man show.

Overall this is brutal and violent with no happy ending. At the end of the day isn't that what a war film should be?

Best Vietnam War movie you can see

[brown301 · 10/10 · 22 January 2005]

Platoon is a must see for any fan of war movies. The film that put Stone on the map, Platoon is considered by Vietnam Vets as the most realistic (my father having been one of them). But in keeping the maxim of giving credit where credit is due, much of the success of Platoon belongs to military adviser Captain Dale Dye, who has been linked to pretty much every great war movie in the last twenty years. Much accolades to Tom Berenger as well, whose performance as Sgt. Barnes is the tour de force of his career (the scene in the village towards the end of the movie is brutal, befitting the character). With a great script, great performances, and awesome cinematography, Platoon is a surefire classic.

A personal and gut-wrenching look at the Vietnam War

[FilmOtaku · 7/10 · 21 September 2004]

Oliver Stone's 'Platoon', which he wrote and directed, is partly based on his own experiences in Vietnam. Our protagonist, Chris (Charlie Sheen) is an idealized kid from a privileged family who feels it is his patriotic duty to enlist, and therefore is one of the lone volunteers in his platoon, headed by the badass Staff Sgt. Bob Barnes. (Tom Berenger, looking even more badass with a deep gash in his face that runs from forehead to chin) Somewhat acting as Chris' mentor is Sgt. Elias Grodin (Willem Dafoe), and the two provide (in the most rudimentary sense) good and evil influences as Chris experiences the every day horrors in the jungles of Vietnam; from the irritating – bugs, inclement weather, to the terrifying – combat with the Vietcong, to the gut-wrenching – the ruin of a Vietnam village, mostly innocents.

I thought that 'Platoon' was a good film – it is obviously a film made before Stone's highly stylistic period (which he still appears to be in), and is instead a fairly straightforward film about the horrors of war. Sheen was decent as Chris; he managed to believably convey innocence as well as hardness without falling into cliché. Berenger was pretty brutal as Barnes, but it was Dafoe who I was most impressed with, (though his talent is obvious throughout his many roles, he still has the ability to amaze me. This was obviously a very personal film for Stone, and I think that he conveyed his message of 'War is hell', 'War kill innocence' effectively.

There were some moments where I was incredibly disturbed, mainly the scene in the village. I found that I couldn't stop crying during this scene because it was just so terrifying, and unfortunately very true. 'Platoon' doesn't give us any new insights on war, but it also doesn't prescribe to clichés either. It is a solid and well-done film that does not glorify the war experience, nor does it preach. I would certainly recommend this film to any war-film lover, but it also has enough of a storyline to hold the attention of most other film lovers as well.

--Shel

Still my favorite film

[bzb2001 · 10/10 · 13 March 2003]

Every once in a while I will watch this film again and see if maybe I have grown tired of it. Surely after "Saving Private Ryan," "Titanic," "Crimes and Misdemeanors," or "Schindler's List" I have seen a better film. Well, after every viewing there is something about Oliver Stone's masterpiece that keeps me saying that I have never seen anything better.

I am a sucker for Vietnam pictures. "Apocalypse Now" and "The Deer Hunter" also rank in my top ten of all time. Stories about Vietnam can run the entire gambit of human emotions. "Platoon" is not only a documentation of America's sordid involvement in a foreign civil war, it is also a dramatic story of human response. A life developing in the most horrible of places.

There have been films put together better. There have been films with more detailed and interesting plots. But none have ever told a more touching story of human development set in the backdrop of bloody violence and inhuman suffering.

Rating: 10 out of 10.

Overrated, Yet Very Good

[daveisit · 7/10 · 3 December 2000]

I definitely smell an overrated movie here. "Platoon" was very good and I did enjoy it. However, through no fault of its own, many people rave on about this movie as if it's the be all and end all of cinema. I ended out disappointed because of the huge expectations I had. It's definitely behind war movies like "The Thin Red Line", "Apocalypse Now", "The Bridge Over The River Kwai", and "Gallipoli".

Regardless, the above movies and "Platoon" are so far ahead of "Saving Private Ryan" it's a joke.

Hey "Platoon" (7.5/10) Nice Job Stoney.

Excellent look at Vietnam

[Agent10 · 8/10 · 15 May 2002]

This certainly rates as one of the best Vietnam films of all time. What I especially enjoyed was the realistic atmosphere of the film, entrenching the viewer into a world which seems surreal yet believable. Oliver Stone's real-life experience in Vietnam brought a gifted outlook to this film, one drawn by experience, not common Hollywood conventions. While this proved be a lesser film to the equally amazing Full Metal Jacket, it was not by much. The performances by Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen and John C. McGinley were exceptional, capturing the plight of the tortured soldiers.

Better Than All of their Stones

[JayWolfgramm · 7/10 · 13 January 2023]

I'm typically not a fan of war movies. I find them very bleak and depressing, and most times I go to a movie for escapism. That being said, I still really enjoyed this film.

One problem I have with most war movies is the characters. With all of them having the same haircut, uniform and motivation, I would find myself getting confused on which one is which. After a character would die, I would ask: "Was he the one who had the family photo and a kid on the way?" Thankfully all the characters in "Platoon" are memorable and well-cast. This film has an all-time great ensemble crew. If you need the examples, just scroll up and see the cast, it is packed.

The movie pays respect to the Vietnam veterans without shying away from the uglier side of war. The soldiers are not 100% painted as noble people, they are human beings trying to make the best of a bad situation. The fact that director Oliver Stone served in Vietnam helps give the movie its authenticity. You can feel the passion behind this film, that puts it beyond a simple, "woe is me" type of story. War is game with no winners.

Still a bit of a downer, but sometimes that how life is, and that's always how war is.

The First of Many Oliver Stone Onslaughts

[evanston_dad · 5/10 · 6 May 2008]

So began the string of films with which Oliver Stone would assault our senses and earn him some of the most undeserved accolades in film history.

"Platoon" is probably one of his stronger films, but it doesn't hold up well. At the time, it was notable for its authenticity in depicting the life of a Vietnam grunt, and I certainly want to be sensitive to anyone who served in Vietnam and has an appreciation for this movie because of it. But the movie itself is hopelessly overwrought and reeks of Stone's sledgehammer style of film-making. He can't allow emotions to speak for themselves, so he asks slow motion shots and thundering music to do the work instead. And there was enough material for a movie about Vietnam already without his having to concoct the ridiculous rivalry plot he cooks up for Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe to play out, both of them seemingly transplanted straight from the jungles of "Apocalypse Now".

Every time I hear that classical composition that plays over and over and over in this film I want to jab a fork into my eye.

Grade: C+

One of Oliver Stone's best films

[Vogue189 · 10/10 · 21 July 2001]

Platoon left me absolutely numb after watching it. Oliver Stone,(Who in fact did serve in Vietnam) did a fantastic job telling this story of the horrors and the insanity of the Vietnam war. What's to be admired about this film, is that Stone doesn't sweet-talk the story, with the good old American boys fighting for their country and facing brutality, instead he brings up a strong morality and humanity issue. It's wasn't all black and white, it wasn't one person was wrong, one was right, there was all shades of gray in between. He uses the characters of Sergeant Barnes and Sergeant Elias (both played brilliantly) as symbols of good and evil clashing into one another. Charlie Sheen (Chris, the narrator of the story) is in a sense torn between both, they are both a part of him as he tries to deal with things falling apart all around him. Vietnam was a senseless war, and Platoon tries to understand why we went through it and how we ever got through it.

Platoon

[0U · 13 February 2020]

Platoon is the landmark definition of a war film. Pulse-pounding sequences stacked on well-performed portrayal of soldiers (Sheen, Berenger & Dafoe) as well as a couple of heart-wrenching scenes that would be somewhat difficult to view. The film is Oliver Stone's most significant to date, especially since it's based off his own personal experience in the Vietnam War.

Visceral and violent war film by Oliver Stone based on his own soldier experiences in Vietnam

[ma-cortes · 8/10 · 7 October 2017]

A very strong and tough Vietnam war film made by Oliver Stone who has directed his film in the form of Patrol Drama , a formula much beloved by filmmakers of Hollywood , War and western movies , and revived successfully by this great director . As a shy soldier , Charlie Sheen in the lead , arrives as a rookie in a veteran platoon led by two very different sergeants , the good boy : Willem Defoe , and the bad guy : Tom Berenger. They are accompanied by a motley group of soldiers as John G. Mcginley , Kevin Dillon , Tony Todd , Francesco Quinn , all of them are resplendent , among others.

A Grunt's view of the Vietnam war is provided in all terrible , bloody and violent detail . Blundering and interesting Vietnam war film pre-dating the flood of the eighties and early nineties . It describes a pretty crude portrayal of America's thunderous days in Vietnam . Including a realist and thought-provoking dialog plenty of profanities , bad taste , sexual remarks and dealing with foreign intervention . Wooden acting by Charlie Sheen as naive soldier , it made a star out of Sheen and Stone cast him in his followup film : Wall Street . Charlie Sheen is the central figure in this exciting story through whose shell-shocked eyes we watch the violent events , slaughters , crossfires and atrocities. But here stand out Dafoe and Berenguer , both are top-notch as , respectively , the good and bad sergeants . Support cast is frankly excellent , as you will spot stars and prestigious secondaries in waiting as Johnny Depp , Forest Whitaker , Mark Moses , Tony Todd , Dale Dye and Kevin Dillon brother of Matt Dillon . And brief cameo by Oliver Stone himself . Bloody final reflects the bitterness and disillusion felt by most Americans about Vietnam war .

Colorful and evocative cinematography by Robert Richardson . Perceptible and sensitive score by George Delerue , adding the famous adagio by Samuel Barber . Very good and graphic violent direction from Oliver stone who based the movie on his own GI experiences . It won Oscars for best picture , edition , sound and best director , being highly considered ; that's why it is deemed by many to be the most realistic and violent portrayal of the war on movie . It forms a trilogy about Vietnam along with ¨Born on the fourth of July¨ and ¨Heaven and Earth¨ directed splendidly by the fearless Oliver Stone . He gives a sour description about Vietnam war , a brutal vision of the conflict as witnessed first hand by the ordinary foot soldiers or Grunts.

Great

[tommyson · 7/10 · 9 January 1999]

This is one of the all time best. I had to watch it a couple of times to let it sink in. But once it does, you really understand the tragedy and horror of war.

What a war

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 17 November 2016]

The only military conflict that was in the American experience similar to Vietnam was the Phillipine Insurrection. I doubt that any of the characters whom Oliver Stone created for Platoon would even have known we were in a five year war in the Phillipines battling elements wanting independence after the Spanish-American War made the territory our's.

This was a war without uniforms or battle lines. No one knew who was friend or foe. That bred callousness of an extreme kind into our troops. They learned to shoot first then fake a story for the official report. This is what we see in Platoon.

Charlie Sheen is a newly arrived private in Vietnam and through him Oliver Stone the director/writer of Platoon tells the story of his war. He gets caught in a power struggle between Sergeants Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger who are presented as good versus evil. Dafoe is a professional soldier who has managed to keep some semblance of humanity. Berenger has totally lost it. A Yin and Yang of personal valor.

Other films like Casualties Of War and Apocalypse Now have given their Vietnam stories. I like Casualties Of War as a favorite Vietnam film of mine, but Platoon certainly has its merits. I think an awful lot who were there will say Platoon is the real deal.

Some familiar people are scattered through the supporting cast. One that stands out is Matt's younger brother Kevin who plays a kind of Berenger in training. I doubt this kid from small town USA ever imagined himself doing the brutal things he does. He learned his lessons from Vietnam well and Berenger was a good teacher.

Platoon got several Oscar nominations. Not my favorite Vietnam war film, but a very good one.

Inner battle

[zurdulla · 7/10 · 11 December 2021]

A very atmospheric film with deep meaning. This movie is not only about the war, but about the fate of the people who ended up there. As for me, the main slogan of the film is "Wars for the Poor".

Platoon is so much more than just your average war film.

[TheMovieDiorama · 9/10 · 9 March 2018]

This is actually rather intelligent, both in its plot and technical execution. It's the Vietnam War, we follow a platoon of US soldiers as they attempt to wipe out the enemy. The question that this film raises is: who really is the enemy? You have the conflict of the war itself (America against Vietnam) but within the platoon is a conflict for authority. Split between what is right and what is wrong, the moral implications of this war have taken effect on several soldiers as they question their choices. This was a smart element to include within the plot, it was easier to establish character development and build some tension. The majority of the characters were sufficiently developed and their personalities had charisma. This was mostly down to the great cast. Willem Dafoe was easily the best performance, Tom Berenger was also decent and the heated chemistry between them was well conveyed. Charlie Sheen however, didn't work for me. His acting ability consisted of monotonous dialogue delivery and shouting, perhaps he was overpowered by the rest of the great cast? I don't know, just felt meh. Didn't help that his biggest battle was with nature...we're talking ants, leeches and other insects. Obviously, animals love abit of Sheen. Oliver Stone's direction was solid, very realistic and gritty. The makeup effects were practical, the wounds and blown up limbs looked pretty damn realistic. A standout scene was the raiding of the Vietnamese village. This was the turning point where actually the American side were perceived as the antagonists, clearly communicating with our inner moral compasses. Effective, very effective. This is easily one of the best war films I've seen and winning Best Picture was fully justified.