One of the finest War Films

Rating: Null/10 (4 November 2002)

***spoilers***

This is the gritty story of a group of soldiers and the hell they endure during the Vietnam war. The mis-en-scene in the film is incredible. A key feature in Platoon is the lighting. It serves as an important function to the narrative. One scene that really accentuates this concept is about five minutes into the film. The viewer sees a beautifully crafted long shot from the forest ground looking up at the forest trees. The enormous trees block out most of the sunlight except for a few rays that penetrate down, all the way to the forest floor. The light illuminates the leaves and surrounding areas, but the rest is dark. This feeling of being trapped fits in the theme of the film, as well as the soliders general ideology about the jungle. The music is completely haunting, which they use to emphasize the film's tragic tone. The narrative formula is a young man torn between good and bad father figures. The film is bold, disturbing, and gut wrenchingly powerful. A must see.
10/10