Pvt. Taylor, Somebody once wrote: "Hell is the impossibility of reason". That's what this place feels like, Hell (Vietnam).

Directed By Oliver Stone
Tom Berenger as Sgt. Barnes
Willem Dafoe as Sgt. Elias
Charlie Sheen as Pvt. Taylor
Forest Whitaker as Big Harold
Johnny Depp as Pvt. Lerner


Platoon 1986

I remember seeing Platoon in 1987 about a week before I went to Boot Camp. It’s a nice movie to see right after you’ve joined the ARMY. It’s one of those films that made an impression on me. The plot was pretty interesting. Although the death feud that occurs between the sergeants is a bit far fetched, the story is interesting and mostly accurate. The film was written and directed by a soldier who was there, Oliver Stone. The film is able to portray the frustration that the average grunt (Infantry) experienced in the Vietnam war. It’s very frustrating to know that the same villagers that are smiling at you in the day light will try and take your life when night falls. Guerilla warfare is very difficult and the conventional Army that fought in Vietnam was not made for it. The U.S. military was built to engage in large conventional scale military action against the Soviet Union or other large communist countries. As a result nearly sixty thousand Marines,soldiers, sailors and airmen lost their lives for nothing. We outright evacuated and lost our first war.

Among other things the U.S. military lost it’s unit cohesion, leadership, morale and professionalism during the Vietnam war for several reasons. Although the film does not confront these issues, they’re all in your face. The draft, the demonstrations, the drugs and no clear objectives or goals followed up with piss poor leadership. Starting a draft in any era ruins all volunteer fighting units, starting with morale and outright fear by draftees. Fear will ruin any combat unit. Platoon shows the viewer some of the futility of this war from the perspective of many soldiers. Why are we here? Was the question of the day, every day. When soldiers believe they will die and for no good reason, they’re liable to do anything and they did…

Platoon shows several war crimes and a civil war within a platoon of men. Sgt. Barnes (Berenger) plays a ruthless killer to friend or foe. He drinks his whiskey and despised the “Pot Heads”. If you crossed his path you’d likely meet your demise. Although Sgt. Elias (Dafoe) was equally lethal, he was more friendly with his soldiers and went out of his way to help his men. Barnes had absolutely no regard for any life. During a patrol several soldiers are killed and one captured, tortured and executed in a village where nothing but “farmers” lived. Upon entering the village a VC was spotted running and shot on sight. After searching the village a weapons cache was found as well as a very large food storage area. It was clearly a VC village, however they were no young men to speak of. They were mostly women and children.

After losing several good friends and fellow soldiers they went off the deep end. Sgt. Barnes started a killing frenzy when he shot the elders wife, killing her instantly. The village was torched, men killed and women and young girls raped. Sgt Elias comes in from the bush to see this nightmare. He tells Barnes he is no soldier and attacks him. The entire time the worthless lieutenant just stood and watched. All he was concerned about was saving his own ass. This is when the platoon splits into the Barnes and Elias factions. The film continues into a nightmare of chaos, murder, death and war at its worst.

Conclusion

I found the story to be interesting. It accurately portrayed some aspects of the Vietnam war. Oliver Stove was a Vietnam Veteran so he has a pretty good idea of what the war felt like to the infantryman. In 1986 this film was leading edge. It was the first film to take all sense of order, sanity and command structure out of a war film. You get the feeling that you are in the fox hole with these soldiers asking what the hell is going on? In the movie or in the foxhole? The cast was outstanding. I’ve always enjoyed Tom Berenger and William Dafoe’s performances. They are both awesome in Platoon.

I thought Kevin Dillon and Dale Dye also played their parts well. The film was shot in the Philippines and it resembles Vietnam. The score in Platoon was done very well and won some awards. In fact Platoon won several Academy Awards including Best Director, Best Sound and Best Picture among others (1987). The sets and fire fights looked pretty realistic. The cinematography and directing are top of the line for the time. If your looking for an action packed war film with a twist or two, I would recommend Platoon.



Related Films & Reviews

~ Top Ten Vietnam Films

~ We Were Soldiers

~ Full Metal Jacket

~ Hamburger Hill

~ The Deer Hunter

~ The Fog of War

~ Path To War

~ Tigerland


Thanks for the read,

© 2007 Joe McMaster

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older