rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 1986
Directed by Oliver Stone; produced by Arnold Kopelson; written by Oliver Stone
Starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whitaker, John C. McGinley, Johnny Depp
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
The first of three Vietnam-films from director Oliver Stone, 'Platoon', is
also the best. From the other two, 'Born on the Fourth of July' and 'Heaven
and Earth' only the first comes close from time to time. In 'Platoon' we see
how two strong men infect the young soldiers under their command. How they
do that is seen through the eyes of Pvt. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen). He
sees both Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger), a ruthless man who has actions you
mostly disapprove of but is probably necessary in a war like this, and Sgt.
Elias Grodin (Willem Dafoe) who is more friendly and by the book but gets
high to forget where he really is. As the audience probably will, Taylor
likes Elias, but we see other young soldiers identifying with Barnes.
Instead of a real story Stone, who was in Vietnam himself, gives us ideas of
how it must have been there with powerful scenes. He does not bring
excitement to the fighting sequences; he shows machine guns with men who
have no idea what they are shooting at. There is one curious moment later in
the film where Stone suddenly follows the Vietcong while it is preparing for
an attack. At that moment we see both sides go through the same things, with
the difference that the Vietcong is on its own territory and more fearless.
We understand that Barnes and Elias must have a final confrontation. It
leads to one of the most famous images from any (war) film. Dafoe has his
best moment ever on film right there, showing us not only how he but the
director as well feels towards the Vietnam-war. His entire performance is
very good, but at that moment it reaches greatness. Berenger and Sheen are
very good as well, for both one of their best parts. The supporting cast
brings us some famous faces including Forest Whitaker, John C. McGinley and
Johnny Depp.
For me 'Platoon' is one of the best anti-war films and best Vietnam-films
ever made.