Rent Platoon (1986)

Classic anti-war film, one of the best films of the 1980s - Platoon review by RP

The Vietnam war spawned many excellent films as the US examines in excruciating detail the horrors of a war in which over 58,000 US servicemen lost their lives in an ultimately un-winnable conflict. Memorable films include 'The Deer Hunter', 'Apocalypse Now', 'Full Metal Jacket' and even 'First Blood'. 'Platoon' is another of these memorable films.

Directed by Oliver Stone and apparently semi-autobiographical, the Oscar-winning film tells the story of the day-to-day activities of a platoon serving in Vietnam through the initially idealistic eyes of Chris Taylor (played by Charlie Sheen) who has dropped out of college to volunteer. It shows how new recruits are absorbed into the culture of the war and influenced by longer serving men, and the atrocities that are casually committed. It also tells of the ultimately deadly conflict between two NCOs, Staff Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe).

Not only is this a classic anti-war film, it is one of the best films of the 1980s. 5/5 stars – highly recommended. [Aside: Wikipedia has a fairly comprehensive list of Vietnam war films – there are even more than you expected! Search for 'Vietnam War in film']

Unintelligable - Platoon review by JD

Muddy and bloody camouflaged soldiers shouting over machine gun fire in pigeon afro-carribean american using army acronyms, get the GDV to the XSD by the PLQ man. It was difficult to tell who was who, what they were doing and decipher what they were saying. Apart from that, it was a poignant cynical view of the Vietnam war. How did it compare with the other 715 Vietnam war films? OK but not in the top 10. Johnny Depp plays the most fleeting cameo you will ever see, Forrest Whittaker is not much more. It is mainly about Sheen, Berenger and Defoe who are good but I would definitely not have given the Berlinale Silver Bear for best director to this film nor the Oscar, but we all know how how corrupt the awards are!

Powerful Anti-War Film - Platoon review by GI

It's quite remarkable how powerful this film still is when considering what has been made since. It is genuine anti-war film and depicted the Vietnam War as a conflict not of heroics but of survival. There are scenes of rape, the murder of women and children, US soldiers murdering one another and discussing the killing of their officers, drug taking and cowardice. It's ultimately a story of the loss of innocence centred on the character of Taylor (Charlie Sheen) who has dropped out of college and volunteered for combat in Vietnam. His idealism is quickly shattered as he finds his fellow soldiers consider his life worthless because he has yet to put any time in. As he witnesses death and murder he's awakened to the horror and the duality of man barely keeping his humanity intact. The conflict within him is visualised in the opposites of Sgt Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sgt Elias (Willem Dafoe) who battle one another for the moral souls of the men. The combat scenes are gritty and realistic with some now very iconic images. This is an unrelentingly tough film to watch but a remarkable work from director Oliver Stone, based on his own experiences in the war. It's a film worthy of repeated viewings so if its been awhile I recommend watching it again.