IMDb > Platoon (1986)
Platoon
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Platoon (1986) -- A young recruit in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.
Platoon (1986) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Oliver Stone
Writer:
Oliver Stone (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Platoon on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 December 1986 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Drama | War more
Tagline:
The first casualty of war is innocence.
Plot:
A young recruit in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 4 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 9 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(52 articles)
People Unveils Sexist Man Alive - And It's Not RPatty
 (From PopStar. 18 November 2009, 11:52 PM, PST)
Taking Woodstock and cinema's love of trippy scenes | Anne Billson
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 12 November 2009, 2:30 PM, PST)
User Comments:
within Vietnam and beyond more (421 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Keith David ... King
Forest Whitaker ... Big Harold
Francesco Quinn ... Rhah

Kevin Dillon ... Bunny

John C. McGinley ... Sgt. O'Neill
Reggie Johnson ... Junior

Mark Moses ... Lt. Wolfe
Corey Glover ... Francis

Johnny Depp ... Lerner
Chris Pedersen ... Crawford
Bob Orwig ... Gardner
Corkey Ford ... Manny
David Neidorf ... Tex

Tom Berenger ... Sgt. Barnes

Willem Dafoe ... Sgt. Elias
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
120 min
Country:
UK | USA
Language:
English | Vietnamese
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Germany:16 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Australia:MA (Special Edition DVD) | Brazil:14 | India:A | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Israel:PG | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R (original rating) | Norway:18 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #28241) | Vietnam:(Banned) | West Germany:16
Filming Locations:
Philippines
Company:
Hemdale Film more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Oliver Stone suggested that the cast and crew camp out on location while filming an early scene on a hill they could only reach by hiking in. Everyone agreed to that at first, but that night, after hiking up the hill and finishing their day's work, everyone ran back down to the valley. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: Staff Sergeant Barnes and Sergeant Elias use the Colt Model 653 which was not available until 1973. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Pvt. Gardner: [seeing body bags] Aw, man, is that what I think it is?
Sergeant: All right, you cheese-dicks, welcome to the 'nam! Follow me.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Burly Man Chronicles (2004) (V) more
Soundtrack:
RESPECT more

FAQ

What is the song...?
Why did Taylor drop a grenade after the battle was over?
What happened to the men of the platoon?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
106 out of 131 people found the following comment useful.
within Vietnam and beyond, 8 May 2004
9/10
Author: red_core from Silicon Valley, CA

Platoon is generally regarded as one of the strongest anti-war films of all time. While this is certainly true, what's often overlooked -- at least after only one run through the film -- is that it's chiefly a tale of God vs. Satan, and the war is there to set a perilous backdrop. No doubt, Platoon shows the Vietnam War was a big mistake, but being a fictional documentary on Vietnam is far from its purpose.

The story is told from the point of view of Chris Taylor (solidly played by Charlie Sheen), a middle class kid who goes to Vietnam to do what he thinks is his patriotic duty. In the first ten minutes, Chris is shown in the uncomfortable jungle, struggling just to survive in the natural environment, let alone do any actual damage to the enemy. Quickly we're introduced to the well-known facets of the Vietnam War: The lack of sense of purpose, the wraith-like enemies, the obvious prevalence of the uneducated and poor among the fighting grunts -- and, soon, we see how these factors combine to cause widespread low morale and some actions of more than questionable ethical value.

Chris sees his platoon fragmented into two halves, each aligned with one of two men -- Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger). These two really are the driving force behind the film. They both have nominally the same enemy (the Viet Cong), but, really, it doesn't take long to realize that Elias is Good, and Barnes is Evil (the "enemy" does not enter into the moral equation of this film, at all -- it's an outside threat, same as malaria-carrying mosquitoes or even friendly fire). I won't deny it is a very black-vesus-white relationship, but this polarity does not feel contrived. Elias feels the futility of the war and has respect for life; Barnes fights the war doggedly and has no compassion, period. Both are efficient soldiers fighting the same enemy, but really -- as is at one point aptly put by Chris Taylor himself -- they are fighting for the souls of the platoon members, as the outcome of the war is never really in doubt.

Elias/Barnes' hold on the platoon, and the viewer, is developed through several war sequences. A chilling scene takes place in a village, where our soldiers find no VC, but they do find a cache of VC weapons. The inhumanity of certain soldiers, including of Sgt. Barnes, is unflinchingly shown here. It leaves the viewer with an empty feeling that is hard to shake, reminding of the similarly empty look on a woman's face after she sees her son killed in front her.

Elias doesn't take kindly to this kind of behavior. Elias and Barnes come closer and closer to open conflict, as Taylor becomes a veteran, obviously siding with Elias. Meanwhile, the fate of the platoon comes closer and closer to them, culminating in an explosively shot action conclusion. The end is dark, but morally satisfying.

Don't watch this movie for the action. That's not to say it's not well shot, or unrealistic. On the contrary. It's quite convincing. But it doesn't show war as a fun sport, and it's never a question of good guys versus bad guys. There will be no cheering for the "good guys" or anyone else in this one. Stone succeeds brilliantly at putting the viewer into the middle of it all, and it's not a pretty sigh (and definitely not for the squeamish, either).

On the other hand, if you want great acting, it's here. Dafoe and Berenger do incredibly well, with the incredibly good (and seemingly authentically sounding) script. Barnes is horrific as he challenges three men to kill him, drinking hard liquor out of the bottle. They don't make a move, and neither will you, though you'll hate him just as much as them. Dafoe is a ray of light in the dark as Elias. The cast is rounded out with many characters, all well played, and adding another dimension to the film.

The technical aspects of the film are superb, though one never thinks about them much, as the movie is completely engrossing. The production values seem quite good, as well. The most stunning peripheral aspect of this film, however, is the music. It's emotional and draining, and used to great effect -- listen for the main theme as you watch the village burn.

Watch this one a few times, and you'll likely be quite moved each time. I'll be surprised if you give it less than what I gave it: 9/10

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