Vietnam, as frank as you can see it, without the gloves

Rating: 9/10 (2 May 2014)

Yes, it was the Vietnam movie, in a trilogy of three, ala 1987. What I read about it, and seen briefly through, clips, yet when I went into the cinema, I still yet was disappointed, but respectfully it is a great film. I just expected more realism, I guess. The opening is haunting, and leaves an imprint in the memory for those who would of seen it. Told through the eyes, of a school dropout Chris Taylor (Sheen, very good), who sighed up for the Nam, we follow his eye opening journey of hell, how with fresh eyes, how it perceived, the terror of Vietnam, no holds barred. Granted, there are some really tense moments in Platoon, concerning Charlie, the enemy, one indisputably tensely charged scene, with Sheen on watch, where he's in close proximity of them. Another scary moment had a gentle humble, Sergeant Elias, wonderfully played by Dafoe in still one of his best performances, going into a bunker underneath which is like cavern where he explores it, with a little bit of company. Of course, it's Berenger's show in the life of the story and his performance, as stout hearted and uncompromising Barnes, the head Sergeant, running the other platoon, where he butts heads a lot with adversary Dafoe, and in one shocking moment towards the end, Not only with this whole outfit fighting the enemy, both platoons are fighting each other. I couldn't stands Barnes's platoon, that partly consists, of a fawning type, John Mcginley who went on to become a very and sought after commodity as character actor, while Kevin's Dillon's borderline psychotic Bunny, will live on in my mind, probably, secretly, one of the film's best performances. As in Casualties Of War the death of innocents related to the enemy are again, sickeningly disregarding, as in court marshaling, brushed under the carpet stuff. Ironically the same actor who sided with Penn and his boys, in this, he's the other way intent, on seeing, this unlawful killing by Barnes goes to trial, if proved. The scene with Bunny in the tent, was sickening, though the violence was implicit here, where he was smashing the brains of a gook civilian's head in with the butt of his rival, splots of blood, staining Bunny's face. Platoon, with a crafted script by Stone and A grade performances by it's actors, is a film to see cinematocally, the photography is excellent and does work. May'be I really got carried with the realism aspect of the film, but it's still a pretty real and effective that will scar the memory years after seeing it. For a war film, trying to win an Oscar as best film, is war itself. This was one that did.