DEFINENTLY OLIVER STONE'S BENCHMARK.

Rating: 9/10 (27 May 2000)

When viewing this movie years after it was originally released and having the oppotunity to see other Oliver Stone projects,it becomes evident that he probably climaxed with 'Platoon'.Artists from other entertainment disciplines have produced work that they will always be judged against and which they never have surpassed.A case in point is Micheal Jackson's 'Thiller'.Although his other offerings are good in their own right,they do tend to pale in comparison.I feel that his later projects suffer as a consequence and although it may not seem entirely fair,he set his own high standards with 'Platoon'.
There are a variety of factors that make this such a good movie.The first is the background music which conveys a message of seemingly overbearing tragedy about the loss of innocent young life.The tracks used to capture the era blended in with the screenplay and did not detract from the movie as sometimes occurs with more product oriented movies that choose tracks that will sell CD's and not to accentuate the mood the director may wish to convey.
The emsemble cast showcased here is very talented and many of them were to make an impact on the movie scene,most notably Johnny Depp and Charlie Sheen.Tom Berenger and William Dafoe play their parts perfectly which is essential since their conflict was a central theme.There were no weak performances which can usually be to the detriment of a good movie.
My own personal analysis of this picture is that the conflict between Tom Berenger and William Dafoe is a representation of the situation in America during the Vietnam war.Berenger represented the hard core anti-communist war machine which viewed American soldiers as part of the machinery to eradicate the enemy of democracy.Dafoe's character could be seen as the peace loving anti-establishment hippie generation that has a strong moral belief.The friction between these contrasting ideologies divides the camp and a violent result was inevitable.This is indicative of ideological differences in America during the war.Whether my interpretation is accurate is not relevant since it is a thought provoking movie and I am sure that other users will have they own analysis.This is the magic of the screenplay as a art form.
Anybody who enjoys movies most add this masterpiece to their collection.I am sure it will be watched many times over.