Exciting war film from start to end

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2014)

Platoon is one of my favorite war films, right up there with Paths of Glory. A young Charlie Sheen plays a new soldier who volunteered to fight in Vietnam. This film traces his journey, along with his platoon, over months of fighting.
The action seems realistic, the cinematography seems realistic, the cast are excellent, especially Tom Berenger (Barnes) and Wilem Dafoe (Elias) who are battling each other while they battle for the hearts and souls of the squad. Meanwhile, they need to get the squad functional enough to battle the North Vietnamese Army NVA.
Incredible action, highs and lows, while Sheen does a decent job of portraying his moth-like change from a newbie to a hardened warrior. The music adds soulful feeling to the powerful fighting scenes and recovery. It's like they fight, recover, and are thrown back in again for more and more. The film wears you down, as you can imagine the men being worn down at the same time. You will experience this movie like few other war films.
Great film that the Academy rewarded with a well-deserved Best Picture and Director. Enjoy.