What's with Platoon vs. SPR?

Rating: Null/10 (26 March 2000)

First of all, I think Platoon is one of the 5 best war movies (dealing with the fighting itself) that I've ever seen. What I don't understand is why everyone compares this to Saving Private Ryan (many times saying SPR is a better movie!). The two are not even comparable. Saving Private Ryan is a 50s "war" movie updated for the 90s with appropriate bloodletting and a weak plot. Platoon is the great emotional (where Apocalypse Now was the surreal and Full Metal Jacket was the cold/uncaring) look at the horrors of fighting in the Vietnam War. The struggle between good and evil for Taylor's soul is just about the most effecting "personal battle" in a war movie. People are comparing this (based on fact!) to the fictional story of a bunch of guys who go looking for another guy 'cause the Chief of the General Staff (can you believe it!?!) wants them to. Along the way Spielberg tries to mix the go get'em of postwar action films with the horrors of war. That doesn't work. Platoon does, very well. In fact SPR is so uneven it's hard to believe that a veteran director directed it (not that Spielberg is a great one but he does have the experience).