A Great War film held back by the lead performance

Rating: 8/10 (11 March 2013)

Going into this film, I had no idea what I was in for. I expected a mere, gritty war tale, and Platoon is not that. It's a powerhouse of a film that is disturbing, intense, and at times, grotesque.
The film follows a Platoon of soldiers during the Vietnam war, and the main protagonist is the naive Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen). The the plot progresses the platoon through Chris' arrival, the power battle between Sgt. Barnes and Sgt. Elias (Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe respectively), and to a series of events that illustrate the horrors of war.
The technical aspects of the film help in this illustration The editing, cinematography, and sound all come together to form a technical tour de force. This is one of the most technically accomplished war films I've seen to date.
The power battle between the two sergeants is the most interesting part of the film, as one officer represents the way war is perceived by outsiders: valiant and noble; while the other represents the true nature of war: grotesque and brutal. The film's standout performance comes from one of these soldiers, and that belongs to Tom Berenger as Sgt. Barnes. He's a ruthless and brutal man, and plays well opposite Willem Dafoe,mwho is also quite good.
On the other hand, Charlie Sheen's performance was one of the film's faults. His Voice-over is monotone and boring, as is most of his performance. There are a few moments where he shows some chops, but they were too few, and too far between.
My only other issue with the film isn't a problem per sey, and the film actually benefits from it. But with this film being so graphic, it's hard to see myself watching it a second time.
Overall, Platoon is a great war film that is, unfortunately, Held back by its lead performance while still managing to show us the dark side of the battlefield.