Platoon

Rating:
Summary: Great flick....
Review: Aside from Full Metal Jacket, this movie started that whole Vietnam War movie crazy back in the 80s. Rightfully so, it's better than all of 'em.

I was blown away by Dafoe's character - solidified him in my mind as one of the best actors of his generation...

Rating:
Summary: Get the Special Edition, NOT the Regular Edition
Review: When they reissued Platoon on DVD, I was excited. I wasn't excited when I noticed there were no special features on the DVD. This Special Edition has all those features that every DVD should have.

As most of you already know, Platoon is a great movie depicting a very honest and brutal look at the Vietname War. The acting by Dafoe, Berenger, and Sheen is probably the best of their careers. The directing by Stone is a high point as well for him. The movie is as intense as they come. View the village scene and you'll see why.

The special features are good complements to the movie. The commentary by Stone and Capt. Dye is fitting and informative. The documentary as well provides some great insight, and it doesn't ramble on about unimportant facts. Overall, it's a pretty decent set of bonuses.

Once again this Special Edition DVD gets 4 1/2 - 5 stars. The regular edition gets 4 due to the lack of offerings. Get the Special Edition and don't miss out!

Rating:
Summary: Classic war film
Review: An all star cast creates the horrors of war. You will be placed in the center of it all.A must have for any war film fan

Rating:
Summary: War is Hell, but the Film Is Heavenly!
Review: Don't they all say that? Yes, war is hell. If you want to see another film that deals with "hell on earth," go see APOCALYPSE NOW! However, PLATOON is much more than your average war pic. It is an examination of good vs. evil within the ranks of your platoon, an examination of a soldier's journey through life in war, and the hell that was the Vietnam War.

This is director Oliver Stone's first venture in Vietnam territory. (He'd follow it up with 1989's BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY and 1993's HEAVEN AND EARTH.) But this film is supposedly different from the other Vietnam films (such as the prejudiced 1967 film THE GREEN BERETS); since Stone, himself, fought in the war! He has gone on to say that Charlie Sheen's character, Chris Taylor, was based on himself. A privileged young man who forgoes college and join the army to fight in this brutal war.

Charlie Sheen has the difficult task of bringing us, the audience, into his world of death, dope, bullets, and a fraternity he never wanted to belong to. Assisting in his efforts are two talented men, both nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 1986: Tom Berenger, as the psychotic Staff-Sergeant Barnes; and Willem Dafoe, as good-guy Sergeant Elias. Both men are the glue and the driving force in this film; both are the good (Elias) and evil (Barnes) in Chris's world. Both are his "surrogate fathers," as most people put it.

Rounding out the rest of the cast in a variety of ethnic people: Kevin Dillon, brother of Matt Dillon, is the baby-faced, gong-ho killer Bunny. Francesco Quinn, son of Oscar-winner Anthony Quinn, as the gravel-voiced Rhah; Richard Edson as Sal; David Neidorf as Tex; John C. McGinley as the fast-talking, Sammy Davis Jr. impressionist, Sgt. O'Neill; Mark Moses as the wimpy Lt. Wolfe; Chris Pedersen as the hollow Crawford; and Johnny Depp, in one of his early film roles, as the quiet translator Lerner. The black cast consists of: Forest Whitaker as the kind Big Harold; Reggie Johnson as the annoying Junior (who you just want to strangle!); Tony Todd as Warren; and Keith David as the fun-loving King. Also, look for a cameo of director Stone. (I won't tell you where, but it's shocking!) Also of retired U.S.M.C captain Dale Dye as Captain Harris.

Despite all the madness going around, there are plenty of moments where you find yourself smiling. For example, when half the group (i.e. Taylor, King, Rhah, Big Harold, Crawford, and Elias) are listening to Smokey Robinson while smoking pot, you can't help but sing along with them and imagine being there with them, dancing their fruity dance. Meanwhile, the other half (i.e. Barnes, Bunny, Junior [?], Lerner, Tex, Sal, O'Neill, and other unknown soldiers) are listening to red-neck music while playing a good game of cards.

Winner of 4 Academy Awards including: Best Picture - Arnold Kopelson, producer; Best Director - Oliver Stone; Best Film Editing; and Best Sound. This film is both moving and haunting. Nothing on earth could prepare the soldiers of what was to come.

Since then, there have been other films about Vietnam, such as 1987's HAMBURGER HILL and FULL METAL JACKET! I'll even admit, this film also inspired me to make my future Oscar-winning film, PRISONER OF WAR! (Watch for it in the very near future.)

Rating:
Summary: Best Vietnam Film.
Review: Oliver Stone's "Platoon" is the best movie ever made about the war in Vietnam. Yes, it even surpasses "Apocalypse Now," which though a masterpiece, was really a Joseph Conrad trip into madness. "Platoon" has characters that feel real, that we care about. The violence is not meant to be simple morbid entertainment in an action film, but a clear documentation of combat (though Stone admits combat is more boring than it seems) and the realities of war. Stone fought in Vietnam, and that helps add realism, an insider's view on what was happening. "Platoon" captures an era in America when young men were sent to a war without a real point. The film certainly deserved the Best Picture and Director Oscars it was given. The photography by Robert Richardson is rich and there are vistas and shots that stay in the memory. The music can be haunting and the editing makes the film feel alive, and yet meditative at some points. Stone shows here the realities of war, how war affects both sides, how war is a horrible conflict of man tearing at man. It is a powerful masterpiece that will stand the test of time for years to come.

Rating:
Summary: A great war movie. It's not that violent!
Review: Platoon is over a decade old (About 15 years to be exact). But time has not been harsh to this brutal and powerful movie. The plot revolves around Chris, an infantryman (Played by Charlie Sheen) and two sergeants (William Dafoe and Tom Berenger) who have opposite views of the war; Berenger wants to wipe out the Vietcong. Dafoe believes the war is lost.

The special effects are no longer the best (The 'explosions' look more like pyrotechnics or expensive fireworks). But this has to be quite possibly the most realistic war film ever made. The reason is probably because director Oliver Stone was a service man in Vietnam. Thus, he could make a war film that was more realistic than any war movie made until Saving Private Ryan. But Platoon is not even that violent (Apocalypse Now and SPR are bloodier). But Platoon and Full Metal Jacket carry the lion's share of foul language. Platoon won academy awards for Best director (Oliver Stone), Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Picture. Without a doubt, Platoon is one of the greatest war films ever made.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!!
Review: I liked this movie because it was full of violence and death. I like this kinds of movies. It was cool when the guy almost goes nuts and tries to kill everybody. They should do more movies like this.

PS: there should have been more blood.

Rating:
Summary: A better version of The Thin Red Line
Review: This movie is like The Thin Red Line (talking about a soldier in a war) except a lot better with more action and better plot (the way things are in the movie). This movie is over 10 years old, but still good.

This is not really quite like Saving Private Ryan, but still is a good war movie. This is my other favorite war movie besides SPR (1 of the 2 only war movies I like the best).

I recommend this movie if u like war movies. There's a lot of bad language (similar to SPR) but it's still good. Not as gory as SPR though (not even that much).

Rating:
Summary: Good -- but doesn't hold up as well as I expected
Review: When Platoon was first released, I counted myself among its many admirers. As others here have noted, the depiction of the experience of "grunts" in Vietnam is very compelling. When I first saw the film, I felt like I was viscerally experiencing the terror, horror, boredom, fatigue, and discomfort that made up the lives of the infantry in Vietnam.

However, the film does not bear up well to multiple viewings. I just watched the DVD last night, and found little new to build on my impressions from 15 years ago. My only new observation is that I have more admiration for Willem DaFoe's performance. He brings a special light to his role as the "good" sargent -- but he has gone on to play darker roles. Hindsight allows one to better appreciate the quality of his acting here.

For a film based on Vietnam that does reward multiple viewings, I recommend the Deer Hunter. More than twenty years after its first release, its power remains undiminished.

Rating:
Summary: War Is Hell
Review: Platoon is Oliver Stone's semi-autobiographical account of his time as a foot soldier in Vietnam. Mr. Stone's screen alterego is Chris Taylor who is played by Charlie Sheen. Chris is a high-minded kid who feels by volunteering, he can make a difference. He is influenced by two of the Platoon's sergeants. They are polar extremes, with the angelic Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) and the satanic Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger). At first Chris is taken with Barnes' take no prisoners attitude, but they after being injured in battle, he falls under the spell of Sgt. Elias. He gets turned on to marijuana by the heads in the platoon. The movie shows the struggle that Chris goes through and we are shown the hell that war really is. In Hollywood, war was glorified. In the late 70's, the shift started to show the scars war could leave on someone. Platoon was the first movie to really show in graphic and horrifying detail how war affected men and the country in which they did battle. Platoon is a haunting, brilliant masterpiece. Mr. Stone won his second Oscar and first Best Director award and the film was named Best Picture.