Helmed by Oliver Stone, this searing autobiographical drama chronicles the Vietnam experiences of naïve volunteer soldier Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), whose view of the conflict starts to change after witnessing murder and rape at the hands of his compatriots. Platoon won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, with Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe earning supporting actor nods as rival topkicks who offer Sheen contrasting role models.
Jason
I told the padre the truth, man: I like it here. You get to do what you want. Nobody fucks with you. The only worry you got is dyin', and if that happens you won't know about it anyway. So what the fuck, man?
You ever watch a movie and see an actor and go "I didn't know he was in this". Well every time a new character appeared on screen I did that. I mean I knew Charlie Sheen was in this, since this movie is what made his career, but I had no clue that some great actors like Forest Whitaker, Johnny Depp and Willem Dafoe were in it as well.
I can't say enough about how good the cast was in this movie. Everyone was great at filling there role in the story, but I think there were three people who were head and shoulders above everyone else. First and foremost is Charlie Sheen. I mean he is far from the world's greatest actor, but in this movie he was great. I really believed in his misery. While he's digging the hole at the beginning of the movie you can just see how defeated he looks, and its only 10 minutes into the movie. He sets a tone that is carried out through the whole film. War sucks, but we're here so lets make the best of it.
The other two important actors are both equally well done and the movie would have suffered if either role was not executed perfectly. They are of course Williem Dafoe and Tom Berenger. What I found to be most interesting with these two is that both actors were playing roles opposite what they usually do. What I mean is Berenger usually plays good guys and Dafoe usually plays bad guys, but in this they switched. Tom Berenger is playing the "bad guy" of the movie, and he did an excellent job of being the compassion-less war hardened leader. While Williem Dafoe was the "good guy" of the movie. He was more like a mentor to Charlie Sheen's character and during the scene in the village he was defending the Vietnamese against Berenger.
Final Thoughts- This movie is good. If I was making a list of some of the greatest war movies ever I would definitely place this near the top. That being said I would not put this on my list. I'm not really a fan of war movies so this really isn't something I would watch again.
Bryan
"I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy; we fought ourselves. And the enemy was in us. The war is over for me now, but it will always be there, for the rest of my days. As I'm sure Elias will be, fighting with Barnes for what Rhah called possession of my soul. There are times since, I've felt like the child born of those two fathers. But be that as it may, those of us who did make it have an obligation to build again. To teach to others what we know. And to try, with whats left of our lives, to find a goodness and meaning to this life."
This was a quality movie. In general, I am not a fan of war movies, but this one was effective, I have to admit. What struck me about the movie was how much it was designed to mirror the domestic angst during the war. The two potential role models that Charlie Sheen's character had to look to were personifications of the war as a whole, as seen from different perspectives. Two sides of the same coin in many ways, which is why they were effective supporting characters, but would not have been effective choices for main character (even though both of them were infinitely more interesting than Sheen). America was struggling with itself, and in many ways will never be the same again because of it's experience with Vietnam. Oliver Stone took that general experience and conveyed it as a personal, individual story. At the very end of the movie, images of each character were shown with the names of the actors that portrayed them. The scene they chose for Sheen was him stepping off the plane when he first arrived in Vietnam, and the stark contrast between that man and the one that in the last scene was striking.
The movie made me uncomfortable. Honestly, if it didn't I'd have been worried. This wasn't Forrest Gump's portrayal of the war; it was designed to be gritty, uncomfortable, testosterone-filled and rough. This isn't a movie I'd watch often, it's depressing and emotionally draining. But it is a landmark. As Jason mentioned, the acting is phenomenal. The roles of Elias and Barnes were the most crucial; WIllem Dafoe and Tom Berenger were genius.
Final Thought I'm not sure if this would make my list, but it sure has a lot going for it. If it makes it it will be relatively low, close to where it it is now (86). But a lot of this one comes down to personal preference. The movie doesn't speak to me, but I absolutely appreciate it's power.
Angel
Is it possible to think that a movie is good and not really enjoy it? Thinking back on this film that is something that comes to mind. I find that I find many things to appreciate about the film but overall, I am not sure if I liked it.
Let us start with the good. The set design is fantastic. The lush forest filled with mosquitoes. The lighting, the shadows, it all lent to a feeling of being in a humid foreign land. At every turn it felt as if you were following these soldiers as they participated in the war. The jungle itself almost had a personality of its own, adding to the ambiance. It was a great set piece for the actors.Speaking of the actors, they did fantastic. Charlie Sheen as a relative newbie in warfare, facing the moral crisis that I can only imagine all soldiers must face. At his side are Willem Dafoe as Sgt Elias a man with a morale compass not to be trifled with. At the other end is Tom Berringer as Sgt Barnes, a man who has seen the terrors of war and has become tainted by them. He acts as the best way to end the war is to leave no one on the other side alive. You can feel the tension between these two characters as they battle for control over each other and the war. This conflict outside the war is a story itself.
The only real problem that I have with this is a culmination of all of the things that are so great with the movie. That is the realism. The film was done so well, the characters blended so well and the war seemed so real that I coul not enjoy the film. There was a sadness that you felt watching this, because it almost felt more real than a documentary. In a documentary you see people talking about the horrors of war, here you saw it and felt it.
Final Thoughts- This is a great movie and I think everyone should see it. I am not sure if it would be on my list but I would recommend it. I thnk all movies that try to tell the truth about wars try to give the feelings that I had with this film
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