Platoon

War! Is this what we raise our sons for? So tragic on all sides. Mankind brutally killing one another. The awful jungle conditions well depicted in this movie. In addition to fighting one another, the enemy, the elements, the insects, chemical addictions, etc., is it any wonder that so many of the survivors of that war have PTSD in addition to their physical scars and memories that cannot be erased from the minds of those who are someone's loved one.

A classic that I finally obtained on Blu-ray. I only get Blu-ray versions of movies that to me, are classics (Casablanca, Star Wars, Gone With The Wind, etc.) and in my opinion, Platoon certainly fits the bill. I won't go into detail about the movie as it's been done to the nth degree already, but I will say it's definitely a movie that should be added to your Blu-ray collection.

I don't know how normal it is for a woman who wears bows on her shoes to have watched a movie as many times as I have Platoon, but since its premier it has remained one of my favorites.

Setting aside all real life moral and political considerations, and perhaps the veracity of minor details, I find none of the other artistic forays into the Vietnam War as realistic or forceful as Platoon, since unlike the other filmmakers, director Oliver Stone actually served in the war [with distinction ]from 1967-68 with the 25th infantry and then with the First Cavalry. The other reviewers have summarized the plot well, so I'll just add some observations.

The first time I saw it, I was blown away by the visceral impact of the action—not only in the battle sequences, but in terms of actually being incountry. Suffering from lack of sleep, eating crap rations, marching while humping heavy loads in the heat, humidity, rains; dealing with insects and snakes- compounded by the frustration of always being so close to an unseen enemy but often unable to engage him are simply mind boggling. Then of course there was the fear: of the unknown, of booby traps, collateral fire, villagers who may have been innocents or sympathizers—and the terror of being wounded or killed.

The attention to detail, despite some criticism from other reviewers is remarkable. Is all here: the forest, the village and its people, guys jerking off in full view, misdirected friendly fire, the underground tunnels of the Viet Cong, and in one stunning sequence, as the men get ready to walk out into the field at dusk after they get the order to lock and load, a black man raising his voice in an almost spiritual rendition of O Susanna. There are also self inflicted wounds, racism, cruelty, a lieutenant who is unable to lead, ideological schisms about how to win the war or even if the war is worth fighting, along with malice and murder.

What impressed me, and it is rare in American cinema, was to finally see black men portrayed as regular people -not comic relief, kindly helpers, martyrs, victims, criminals or elegant supermen ala Sidney Poitier. The characterizations are stunning in their ordinariness: fast talking black power supporter Junior, young and frightened Francis, bodybuilding party guy Manny, sweet talking Big Hal, heroin addicted Warren, ready to turn a blind eye to moral issues just to survive, – and for me always at the heart of the movie-the wonderful Keith David as the uneducated but incredibly wise and generous King, who, delineating the chasm between black and white, rich and poor, tells the narrator, 'Who ever said we counted for anything? All you have to do is get out of here alive, and the rest of your life will be gravy.'

The white guys are no less wonderfully drawn: pragmatic Rhah, brown nosing O'Neill, easy going surfer Crawford, psychotic Bunny, the completely inept Lieutenant Wolfe, the translator, Lerner, the kindly medic who is appalled by violence, and the young man who narrates the story, Chris, a college kid from a well-to -do family who has volunteered for duty. But make no mistake-these aren't types like we saw in most WWII Hollywood fare—but multifaceted and surprising human beings.

In a sense the story revolves around Chris [ Charlie Sheen] and the two pivotal characters who will influence and define his maturity: the humane, thoughtful and individualistic Sergeant Elias [ Willem Dafoe] and Sergeant Barnes [ Tom Berenger], the brutal realist who effectively runs the platoon and knows what it takes to keep the men alive and functioning as a unit. In the course of the story, Chris will choose his side, though he will also for better or worse incorporate the characteristics of both men.

Berenger and Dafoe give outstanding performances as does Keith David—and I think the then young Charlie Sheen was a wonderful choice for Chris. Not only does he look like a stand in for Oliver Stone but the casting nods to his father, Martin Sheen, who was the lead in Apocalypse Now. And if you are impressed at all with Dafoe, watch Stone's Born on the 4th of July where Dafoe gives one of his greatest performances as the embittered and disabled veteran, Charlie from Chicago.

I think it came out in 1986 and I got home from Vietnam in January 1966. I've waited tillnow to see it. I am glad to be able to say that I never encountered people like this, but I only dealt with SF, the 173rd, and the Marines in Danang. I did encounter very low IQ 2nd LTs at Fort Benning similar to Calley, but I've only heard stories like this. It's an ugy movie to a veteran, nut I realize thatr we must have deploued people this young and stupid or immoral. The best that I can say is that this movie takes the worst things that some rtroopas did in RVN and melds them together into one story. The action scenes are well done and things like that happened.

Unfortunately, there are viewers who little or nothing of the war and who will think that this represents the war. It does represent the futility of the war and the ability of the NVA - not the VC/ So, if you wish to see the worst of that war, watch it; but if you are looking to learn something about the conflict - don't.

PAINFULLY VERY ACCURATE

My favorite war film of the 1980's and also of all time, was Oliver Stone's "Platoon." At the time, the best war films about Vietnam had been the "Deer Hunter," and "Apocalypse Now." However, Oliver Stone delivered a film with a relative unknown cast that seemed to define the hell that Vietnam was for those fighting within those horrific jungles filled of fear and death.The conflict between Tom Berenger and William Dafoes characters stands as the heart of the film and was a true reflection of the real world issues of the Vietnam conflict. It was Berenger's performance that drove the film into a realistic portrayal of the effect war has on man, The world of cinema is where we all go to escape and be entertained. Oliver Stone's "Platoon," was one of those films that went beyond the world of entertainment. The film had a lasting effect on those of us that grew up during the Vietnam era. Hopefully, it has also had an effect on those born past that era. The message of "war is hell." had never been more clearly and realistically stated in any film before "Platoon." It is in my opinion the most important war film ever made.

Chris Taylor and his quotes, basically what made this movie. And Elias. I love Elia, he has a heart of gold. I am disappointed that he was betrayed. The ending is very emotional, watching Elias run and then put his arms up. I love the story Taylor told about himself, being The Privileged.