Great Oliver Stone movie about Vietnam

Rating: 10/10 (1 June 2006)

I saw this about 29 years after it came out. I have to say that I've seen lots of Vietnam movies and this one, though slightly pretentious at times, qualifies as one of the top 4-5. Scholars researching Oliver Stone 30 years from now should definitely look at Platoon as being the rare vehicle that brings the best out of a skilled director.
Platoon has a message to get across, and it indeed does; it beats you over the head with the message. You accept it though, because the tone of the voice delivering the message is so strong and powerful. You watch this movie like you watch a drunk driver whose crash is inevitable on the freeway.
Anyway, the coolest thing about this movie is that Charlie Sheen virtually mirrors his father's performance from Apocalypse Now. Same theme, same story arc-both brought out beautifully in what may be Charlie Sheen's finest performance in film (it was all downhill from here). It's basically been a story told before...Charlie Sheen's character, Chris, comes to Vietnam wide eyed and idealistic, but the war turns him. That's all you really need to know about this movie. So watch the movie if you like movies of this genre.