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Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whitaker, Francesco Quinn ... see more see more... , Kevin Dillon , Richard Edson , John C. McGinley , Reggie Johnson , Keith David , Johnny Depp , David Neidorf , Andrew B. Clark , Kevin Eshelman , Corey Glover , Ivan Kane , Bernardo Manalili , James Terry McIlvain , Warren McLean , Mark Moses , Clarisa Ortacio , Bob Orwig , Chris Pederson , Than Rogers , Paul Sanchez , Romy Sevilla , Li Mai Thao , Tony Todd , Li Thi Van , Matthew Westfall , Dale Dye , Oliver Stone , Basile Achara , Ron Barracks , Steve Barredo , Chris Castillejo , Adam J. Glover , Peter Hicks , Corkey Ford , Nick Nicholson , Chris Pedersen

Oliver Stone's breakthrough as a director, Platoon is a brutally realistic look at a young soldier's tour of duty in Vietnam. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) is a college student who quits school to volu... read more read more...nteer for the Army in the late '60s. He's shipped off to Vietnam, where he serves with a culturally diverse group of fellow soldiers under two men who lead the platoon: Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger), whose facial scars are a mirror of the violence and corruption of his soul, and Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe), who maintains a Zen-like calm in the jungle and fights with both personal and moral courage even though he no longer believes in the war. After a few weeks "in country," Taylor begins to see the naïveté of his views of the war, especially after a quick search for enemy troops devolves into a round of murder and rape. Unlike Hollywood's first wave of Vietnam movies (including The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, and Coming Home), Platoon is a grunt's-eye view of the war, touching on moral issues but focusing on the men who fought the battles and suffered the wounds. In this sense, it resembles older war movies more than its Vietnam peers, as it mixes familiar elements of onscreen battle with small realistic details: bugs, jungle rot, exhaustion, C-rations, marijuana, and counting the days before you go home. This mix of traditional war movie elements with a contemporary sensibility won Platoon four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, and a reputation as one of the definitive modern war films. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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91% liked it

210,156 ratings

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87% liked it

45 critics

R, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Oliver Stone

Release Date: December 24, 1986

Keywords: action, war, anti-war

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DVD Release Date: December 9, 1997

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Stats: 11,727 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (11,727)

  • paulkoh110
    December 14, 2011
    paulkoh110
    It might be because I saw Apocalypse now Redux but this wasn't the masterpiece I was looking for. It was definitely violent but not as brutal as other war movies depict the vietnam war. I feel that Oliver Stone could've gone farther in the inner feelings of Charlie sheen's charac... read moreter but in the end puts more action than emotion in.

    A film that deserves praise but not Best Picture.
  • jamers2011
    June 13, 2011
    jamers2011
    Excellent! A standout film for War cinema. Platoon goes where so few films do, the emotional side of wartime. The cast is perfect with so many great performances, especially Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe, who both received Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor. A great sto... read morery, intense action, good writing, and memorable scenes. A great film! I recommend it!
  • imrealgod
    February 20, 2011
    imrealgod
    Since it was on the IMDb Top 250 list, and wasn't a love story or animation (I avoid those genres as far as possible), I'd to give it a go. And it was an okay war movie. But definitely not so great as I was expecting. JFK (of course, I'm talking of the 1991 flick and not The JFK ... read morein person for real) introduced me to Oliver Stone's work, and it's one of my all-time favorites. Little did I know that it'll leave some side-effects too. Since JFK, I've had relatively high expectation from his movies. Most probably, that's the reason I was left unsatisfied by his other ventures like 'Nixon' and 'World Trade Center', and didn't find Platoon to be a ground-breaking experience either. In fact, this war movie was nowhere near as great as J.P. Dutta's 'Border' based on Indo-Pak war. Yeah, I know most people will frown at this. Foreigners might not find 'Border' any good because it's a typical Bollywood flick. Though lengthy (including a few long songs), it was highly entertaining. It's the best war film ever. Sorry, I shouldn't have crossed the Border here; let's get back to Platoon. I was surprised to find Forest Whitaker getting less footage, and Johnny Depp hardly appears on screen That wasn't the problem, though. The movie succeeds in displaying the soldiers' agonies and difficulties during the Vietnam war, but it falls short of entertainment (it's not highly enlightening either) value and ended up as "just another war movie" for me. Then again, it had some powerful dialogues and didn't need to rely on unnecessary scenes. I like that decency in Oliver Stone's movies (well, at least, in his four movies that I've seen till date). He doesn't have to use cheap tricks like nudity and sex to be an 'inevitable part' of the script [unlike most Hollywood and foreign films which often claim (which is a lame excuse in most cases, though not all) that it was there only and only because of the script's indispensable demand] to attract viewers. Hope he'd maintain this style and give some worthwhile movies in the future.
  • stormyweather980
    February 13, 2011
    stormyweather980
    Wow, took me long enough to see this one didn't it? I'd say it was worth the wait, and that it was one of the better war movies I've seen. "Full Metal Jacket" ain't got nothin' on this!
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    November 15, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Two Vietnam war epics have been made prior to Platoon. Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter. Both films showed the chaos and personal cost of war on a soldier. However Oliver Stone's film goes a little deeper than that, as it shows the dehumization of a soldier fighting a misunders... read moretood war. Platoon is the third greatest film about the Vietnam war. Oliver Stone's vision is unrelenting, raw and brutal. The film has many difficult scenes to watch, but it's all part of showing you the madness of this war. The film is brilliantly directed by Oliver Stone and is based on his experiences fighting in the war. What I admire most about this film is that it doesn't sugar coat the chaos with typical Hollywood action cliches. The film shows the cost and horrors of combat as it is. The film isn't a romanticized version of war. The film is very realistic and shows warfare for what it really is. Platoon is an action packed war film with tons of drama, and has many difficult scenes to watch. Platoon is still relevant after all these years and this is Oliver's greateat achievement, after this film he was fairly hit and miss. The cast that Stone has assembled for Platoon is simply stunning. Tom Berenger plays Sgt Barnes, a cruel leader with no remorse. Willem Dafoe Plays Sgt Ellias the favoirite of many from the Platoon. Both actors go head to head in the film, and deliver top notch performances. Charlie Sheen delivers the best performance of his career as Chris Taylor. Platoon is an unrelenting brutal film, and we see how the war slowly changes Chris Taylor as he arrives in Vietnam till after he's seen the cruelty of combat. Many Vietnam war films examine the chaos of war, but Platoon aside from Apocalypse Now is a film that really dwells into the dehumanization of a young soldier as he he experiences the horror of combat first hand. Marvelously directed by Oliver Stone, Platoon remains one of the best Vietnam war films ever filmed since Apocalypse Now. Platoon is one of my favorite war films, and if you haven't seen it yet; do yourself a favor and rent it.
  • fb733768972
    September 26, 2010
    fb733768972
    One of the most believable war films I have ever seen. Charlie Sheen acts to perfection as the new recruit trainee in the Vietnam War, and he plays it with style. In the end, the film goes through deaths, betrayals, suicides, and war. Never in my life have I felt myself caring fo... read morer every single prson in the film. Normally there is soemone who I cannot stand, but every character present here, was 100% believable. I loved Platoon and how well it stayed true to the war without going over the top and taking a wrong turn for a film inspired by true events. Amazing cast, amazing dialogue, and a truly moving war story that had me hooked until the end.
  • flixsterman
    September 5, 2010
    flixsterman
    My favorite film on the American war in Vietnam. I've seen this one at least 12 times and it never seems to get old.
  • bottcorecords1
    April 16, 2010
    bottcorecords1
    "And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for? Don't ask me I don't give a damn, the next stop is Vietnam"- Country Joe
    Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe fight it out to prove who's the craziest in Oliver Stone's ultimate Vietnam war movie. I'm not sure which one of them win... read mores, but they sure create an interesting duel of personalities. When Chris (Charlie Sheen) first steps off the plane into the jungles of Vietnam, he's thrown in with the wolves, the old soldiers don't help out the new arrivals, figuring it's best to die in the first week and "not suffer". Chris outlasts many of fellow new recruits and even begins to thrive, under the terrifying tutelage of Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger). It's not until he sees the depth of deprivation of Barnes and his fellow soldiers that he turns to Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) for an ally. Elias, like Barnes, knows no fear, and yet Sgt. Elias hasn't lost sight of his humanity. He helps out the new recruits when no one else will, he does alot for the soldier's morale. Barnes is the hero of psychopaths like Bunny (Kevin Dillon), who believe Vietnam is their own personal playground where they can "do whatever" they want as long as they don't get killed. When Barnes and Bunny and their morally questionable fellow soldiers commit vile and illegal acts, Elias and Barnes finally come to a stand-off, and it becomes a matter of soldier against fellow soldier in the middle of a jungle war. Oliver Stone creates a harrowing vision of Vietnam, thanks to the consultation of former soldiers and his own war experiences. Platoon is a composite of the entire Vietnam war, and perhaps war in general. It's always a question of maintaining one's humanity when your very survival is at stake. I think the main question Platoon raises is, why? What was the purpose of all this killing and death? Abstract idealogy? It's a question that stayed on my mind while watching this film, and I still don't know the answer.
  • ythelastman89
    March 31, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Platoon might not be the definitive war movie, but it's pretty close in terms of capturing what it means to be a soldier and fight in a war without a purpose. I think that Oliver Stone really wanted to get the point across that no one wins in The Nam, even the victors come off sc... read morearred. The story is simple in many ways, but extremely captivating. The depiction of the jungles in Vietnam are shot to perfection and the score works like an operatic sync. The performances are all pretty flawless, with the obvious standouts being Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger and Forest Whitaker. However, it's really Charlie Sheen that carries the film and makes the biggest impression overall. He goes from being a naive volunteer to a tortured soul torn between justice and what is easy. I think it really takes a few viewings to really appreciate the genius behind the film and not classify it as an average action/war movie.
  • fb619846742
    January 25, 2010
    fb619846742
    One of the most harrowing and memorable war films ever made. This film belongs in the ranks of the greats like "Saving Private Ryan" and "Apocalypse Now". It features two incredible performances (from the scar-faced Tom Berenger and the wily Willem Dafoe), a haunting score, distu... read morerbing scenes, and an unforgettable ending. The iconic shot from the movie is definitely the highlight, as Stone punctuates this pose (man on his knees with his arms raised and head tilted back) with hair-raising music when one of the characters is unfairly slain. For a film with so many characters, it runs the risk of overpopulation, but gives us enough reason to care for each of them and their situations (the last scene is especially memorable, closed out with excellent narration), this doesn't happen often. Say what you want about Oliver Stone and his take on certain things - this is a masterstroke.

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Critic Reviews

Richard Corliss
February 24, 2010
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

Platoon is different. It matters. Full Review

Todd McCarthy
February 20, 2009
Todd McCarthy, Variety

The artistic veneer Stone applies, along with the simpy narration provided for Sheen in the way of letters to his grandmother, detract significantly from the work's immediacy. Full Review

Pat Graham
February 5, 2007
Pat Graham, Chicago Reader

For all the purported naturalism, the film seems resolutely schematic, and the attitudes shaping the drama are far from open-ended. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Possibly the best work of any kind about the Vietnam War since Michael Herr's vigorous and hallucinatory book 'Dispatches. Full Review

James Berardinelli
February 6, 2003
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Platoon is one of those movies that, once seen, will never be forgotten, and, at least for those who were not in Vietnam, will forever alter the way in which the war is considered. Full Review

Pauline Kael
March 12, 2002
Pauline Kael, New Yorker

I know that Platoon is being acclaimed for its realism, and I expect to be chastened for being a woman finding fault with a war film. But I've probably seen as much combat as most of the men saying, '...

Paul Attanasio
January 1, 2000
Paul Attanasio, Washington Post

The movie is beautifully written (by Stone), constructed with strong, clean lines, immaculately paced and regularly surprising. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A film that says...that before you can make any vast, sweeping statements about Vietnam, you have to begin by understanding the bottom line, which is that a lot of people went over there and got kille... Full Review

Michael Wilmington
January 1, 2000
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

...it's still the standard against which all other movies about the Vietnam War are judged.

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

Platoon is like the Wall -- a dark and unforgettable memorial to the dead of Vietnam and an awesome requiem to the eternity of war. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Sgt. Elias Grodin: I love this place at night. The stars ...there's no right or wrong in them, they're just there.
    • Sgt. Elias Grodin: Barnes believes in what he's doing.
    • Chris Taylor: And you?
    • Sgt. Elias Grodin: Back in '65? Yeah. Now, no. What happened today is just the beginning. We're gonna lose this war.
    • Chris Taylor: Come on! You really think so? Us?
    • Sgt. Elias Grodin: We've been kicking other peoples asses for so long I figured it's time we got ours kicked.
    • Chris Taylor: Somebody once wrote: "Hell is the impossibility of reason." That's what this place feels like. Hell.
    • Sgt. Barnes: You all take a good look at this lump of shit. Remember what it looks like. You fuck up in a firefight... and I goddamn guarantee you a trip out of the bush - in a body bag! Out here, assholes, you keep your shit wired tight at all times! And that goes for you, shit-for-brains. You don't sleep on no fuckin' ambush! And the next sum'bitch I catch coppin Z's in the bush, I'm personally gonna take an interest in seein' him suffer. I shit you not. Doc, tag him and bag him!
  • The first casualty of war is innocence.
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Platoon Trivia

  • which actor played the main character,chris taylor, in the movie platoon  Answer »
  • Keanu Reeves was offered a role in Platoon but turned it down?  Answer »
  • What film has this cast: Tom Berenger , William Defoe, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whittaker, Francesco Quinn, John C Mc Ginley, Kevin Dillion, Johnny Depp ,Tony Todd ?  Answer »
  • johnny depp had a small cameo in platoon.  Answer »
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