Gritty War Movie

Rating: Null/10 (5 March 2005)

This film was made about ten years after Oliver Stone wrote the script. Based on his real-life experiences in the Vietnam war, "Platoon" tells the story of young volunteer Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) on his first tour of duty. Enduring the harsh realities of life in the jungle, as well as the frequent skirmishes with the enemy, Chris comes under the influence of two rival sergeants, the decent Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe) and the brutal Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger).
Filmed under brutal conditions in the Philippines, the film is a well-made study of the war and of it's impact on the men who fought in it. It has often been acclaimed as the most realistic film ever made about the Vietnam war.