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Platoon
1986
In PLATOON, Oliver Stone uses his experience as an infantryman in Vietnam to convey the immediacy of guerrilla warfare: the brutal heat of the jungle, the brushes with such wildlife as snakes and leeches, and, most powerfully, the presence of the unseen enemy. Charlie Sheen stars as Chris, a raw recruit, or "new meat," who .. Read more
| Starring | Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Francesco Quinn |
|---|---|
| Director | Oliver Stone |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Drama |
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Platoon
In PLATOON, Oliver Stone uses his experience as an infantryman in Vietnam to convey the immediacy of guerrilla warfare: the brutal heat of the jungle, the brushes with such wildlife as snakes and leeches, and, most powerfully, the presence of the unseen enemy. Charlie Sheen stars as Chris, a raw recruit, or "new meat," who serves as the film's narrator. At first he wilts under the rigorous conditions of jungle life, freezes up in a firefight, and wonders whether he'll be able to survive. But he gradually adapts and, as time goes by, begins to see that the platoon is divided into two groups. One consists of lifers, juicers, and subintelligent whites, the other of blacks and heads. Sgt. Barnes, a combat-loving burnout (Tom Berenger), is the informal leader of the lifers, and Sgt. Elias, a free spirit (Willem Dafoe), leads the latter group. When the platoon takes some gruesome losses while on an o.p., an enraged Barnes kills some Vietnamese who may or may not have been VC and orders the burning of their village, outraging the temporarily absent Elias. As the conflict between these two reaches its tragic denouncement, Chris must decide what he really values. Widely regarded as one of the finest war films ever made, PLATOON reflects not only the nation's division over Vietnam but it intimately conveys timeless verities of battle: terror, disorientation, exhilaration, and horrible loss.
| Starring | Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Francesco Quinn, Forest Whitaker, John McGinley, Richard Edson, Kevin Dillon, Keith David, Johnny Depp, Mark Moses, David Neidorf |
|---|---|
| Director | Oliver Stone |
| Studio | MGM ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 54 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Eighties Greats |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Dubbed | French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Hearing-impaired | English, German |
| Subtitles | DVD: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish |
| Released | DVD: 18 Sep 2000 Production year: 1986 |
| Format | DVD |
Platoon (1986)
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Critics' reviews (6)
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It took ten years for Oliver Stone to get his script made, but when this Vietnam War drama finally reached the screen it became a box-office smash and won four Oscars. Stone has the edge over Michael Cimino, Francis Ford Coppola and Stanley Kubrick, all of whom made major Vietnam movies, in that he was actually there as a volunteer who fought for patriotic reasons and got wounded before becoming disillusioned. From the scary opening when the new arrivals are greeted by the sight of body bags bound for home, the movie is an authentically messy tour of duty through the paddy fields where two Americans (Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger) are at war with each other and fight for the soul of rookie Charlie Sheen. This is a modern classic and a personal exorcism for its director, who went on to complete a trilogy of Vietnam movies with Born on the Fourth of July and Heaven and Earth.
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"Nothing that Oliver Stone has done before...is preparation for the singular achievement of his latest film, PLATOON....A major piece of work, as full of pasion as it is of redeeming, scary irony..."
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Most helpful member's review
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17 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Welcome to the 'Nam
There has been much debate about what was the best film of the 1980s. 'Platoon' deserves real consideration. I don't think it was the best (I am partial to 'Raging Bull'), but 'Platoon' is easily in the top five of that decade. Writer-director Oliver Stone's experiences in Vietnam were the catalysts for this amazing masterpiece, which won four Oscars in 1986, including the Best Picture of the year. Young Charlie Sheen experiences a year of hell as he witnesses atrocities and learns first-hand that innocence is the initial casualty of warfare. At the heart of 'Platoon' is the conflict between veteran sergeants Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe (both Oscar-nominated). Berenger is crazed and has distorted views about war. His twisted views will lead to conflict with peaceful and deep-thinking Willem Dafoe who acts as the voice of reason in a time and place of total chaos. Sheen, Berenger and Dafoe all have the best performances to date. They are solid in every way imaginable. Familiar faces like John C. McGinley, Keith David, Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Dillon and Tony Todd are all perfect in limited, but important screen time. Oliver Stone, regardless of what else he has done or will do, will always be remembered for his stunning creation of this film. A true modern-day masterpiece.
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Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Violence & Vietnam
If you liked Saving Private Ryan, you may also enjoy watching this. The movie is based on a personal experience of the Vietnam war, and although violent, is worth seeing.
There are some suprising and moving moments in the film, as well as some fast-pacing action.
The movie mostly follows, and is concluded by, a young man volunteering a year in the army. Commentrary is used now and again; of the same guy's letters to his grandma back home. It is interesting to see how the experience changes his life's perspectives. -
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Platoon
In PLATOON, Oliver Stone uses his experience as an infantryman in Vietnam to convey the immediacy of guerrilla warfare: the brutal heat of the jungle, the brushes with such wildlife as snakes and leeches, and, most powerfully, the presence of the unseen enemy. Charlie Sheen stars as Chris, a raw ...
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