The truth about Vietnam

Rating: Null/10 (29 July 2001)

It is odd, isn't it, that the most realistic war movie about Vietnam was made by Oliver Stone. Stone gave us his "theory" movies about the presidency of Richard Nixon and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. But it is "Platoon" that most vividly shows us the reality of the Vietnam War. It is based on Stone's personal experience and that perhaps is why it was so much easier to stick to the facts in this account, rather than try to fill in huge gaps with mere guesses as he did in "Nixon" and "JFK". (Just so you will know, I like both of those films but too many people view them as Gospel truth rather than one man's take on what MIGHT possibly have happened.
In Platoon we are carried through a private's personal tour of duty from start to finish. His name is Chris and his story is based loosely on the director's own experiences. Chris and his Platoon are soon torn between two points of view between conflicting leaders. Sgt. Barnes is tied to the code of following the orders of superiors. Barnes doesn't believe in questioning (as long as he is not the one doing it), much less out and out not obeying orders from a superior officer. That is the machine and as Barnes says "if the machine breaks down we break down." Sgt. Elias is more of a diplomat and steps in when Barnes takes things into his own hands and disobeys the rules of humanity. Barnes is still intent on winning the war. Elias has given up hope and sees his job as trying to get out alive and take as many as he can from his Platoon back home with him. Killing for survival is allowed, but killing for revenge or for advantage is no longer a part of the war for him.
Chris ultimately has to choose which one of these voices he will listen to. There are times when Chris seems very much in agreement with Barnes and there are other times when Elias shines through his actions. It is this conflict for Chris' soul that drives this film to its final climax. Who Chris ultimately sides with may not even be clearly answered. Remember actions speak louder than words.
Aside from the characters themselves Platoon clearly demonstrates that most Americans who died in Vietnam were viewed as expendable human beings whose worth back home was not much. The American government sent these men over there to fight the government's war. Of course if you were in college you didn't have to fight and where do you think the government official's kids were?
Stone does a great job in not letting us know exactly what the soldiers were trying to accomplish. This took away our ability to see some ultimate goal in this mishmash of gunfire and explosives. Instead we are allowed to understand the fear of moving in one direction or another. Platoon does not glorify war in the least, but let's us view the hell that it is.

There are some who went to Vietnam who did not like this movie because it shows alot of the ugliness of the American soldier's relationship with Vietnamese civilians. I think it is safe to say that village annihilation did not happen all the time. I do think it happened more than we would like to admit. Were innocent people killed in Vietnam? Yes. Were children and women killed by inhumane American soldiers? Yes. Give Stone credit for not trying to sugar coat this at all, but presenting it with all its ugliness. If anything this movie has promoted healing as many of us who did not serve can at least have some way of understanding the hell that the vets went through.
This picture deserved every award and accolade it got and is a must for anyone who is interested in knowing more about Vietnam. If you liked this film I highly recommend "Born on the Fourth of July", Stone's work that deals with the return from Vietnam.