..well-made drama..

Rating: 10/10 (2 August 2006)

Even for "Platoon", a quote from "Apocalypse Now" says it all: "a bunch of 4-star clowns were giving the whole circus away" is just as relevant here. Add to that, two US presidents who were busy lying to us. Those "users" who wrote "an army who fights itself cannot win the war." also tells a loud tale. Once the draft set-in, it was all down-hill, because the younger the soldiers were, the more unprepared they were for jungle-warfare- maybe all those guys who went to Canada had insights the other grunts didn't, plus officers who were totally unprepared for combat and useless at trying to lead. Kids who had just graduated from high-school and were reveling in their budding manhood, from owning their first automobile certainly weren't ready to leave the nest of home and fight in a savage jungle. AND - I want to correct "Polaris_P.b" for saying there were too many Black soldiers in the movie - wake-up, guy: that race was the most vulnerable to be drafted and volunteering, because they had no future to look forward to. They were about half of the fighting-force. You noticed their presence in THIS movie, because in other wars they were segregated from the general troops, and ALWAYS had the most dangerous assignments. Lots of horrendous tales to be told about them....
Although much was made about Charlie Sheen almost being eaten alive - several times - by ants, no one mentioned the two cobras he encountered at close-range. That would have kept me out of the jungle entirely.
This movie is near being flawless, but that characteristic can be really gleaned only after several viewings. With the war raging between Beringer's and Dafoe's characters - and the danger of not knowing whom you are shooting at - how could there be any morality among the troops? I worked in Hawai'i during that war, which was a big "R-&-R" retreat. I met so many guys who were just as frightened at every sound THERE as they must have been in Vietnam. I suspect a lot of them went AWOL from there. As so many "users" picked-up, the whole thing was about staying alive. Even if they did, they had no idea how terribly they would be treated when they went home. "War is hell" is just an announcement that the war to keep your sanity, at home after the battle, would be almost as bad. See "The War at Home", which just happens to star Martin Sheen as the father of a Vietnam veteran......one of his real sons.
This movie dulls the senses even as you watch it. I get so involved, I can't even separate the characters - I'm amazed I can recognize the three main actors, and that's only because they're in almost every scene. I never did recognize Johnny Depp, who was almost chosen as the main character, but was too young.....and Oliver Stone predicted he would be a future major-star. As hateful as he was, Beringer was brilliant, as was Defoe underplaying his more humane officer with bravery to spare, as was Charlie Sheen's ability to act from "cheese-d--k" to seasoned fighter. The whole scene of destroying the peasant village was too realistic and heartbreaking. Sheen's rescuing the girls from being raped, outstanding - after all, "rape and pillage" were a bi-product of every war since the beginning of time.
Turning our youngest men into "killing-machines" ("Jarhead") absolutely guarantees they will never live a normal life. If a movie can arouse such fear, how much worse can actually taking part in one be? The big battle at the end of the movie - when the soldiers are begging to be spared from close fighting and willing to injure themselves to get out of it - certainly points-out American troops can't always hack-it when the going gets rough. Especially, when the enemy has been fighting longer - and has a stronger determination to win because they are fighting on their own territory - as the VC were, and about the same in Iraq. If this country has ever fought a deceitful war, that is it.
Oliver did create a real classic - how skillfully he controlled every aspect, how brilliant was his script to depict the only salvation for the troops was to get lost in drugs and alcohol. The cinematography, simply gorgeous; special effects, totally real-looking; "Elias'" final scene expected but devastating; Sheen's shooting Beringer, bravo ! Every actor was stellar and the crew brought all of their skills to the front to make this movie timeless - with a deep prayer "can't we just get along?" Required viewing for everyone........even the weak-hearted.