Insight

Rating: 10/10 (5 November 2000)

This just might be the best war film ever made. "Platoon" was brilliantly acted and directed, taking in several awards in 1986 including "Best Picture." Charlie Sheen gives an outstanding performance as a young Vietnam soldier who not only battles the enemy, but the fear within himself. Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger do an excellent job of portraying sergeants who are in conflict. What makes this film so great is the realism brought out within the movie. Oliver Stone (writer and director), really does a great job of showing the effects the war had on the soldiers. Stone having been in Vietnam himself, shows a soldiers' point-of-view of the war being not only a shattering physical obstacle, but also a mental one. "Platoon" is a drama that gives you an experience of the horror that was Vietnam. The brutality of the scenes and the intensity of the characters help maintain an idea of the paranoia and fear the war caused. This movie is never disappointing and always keeps you interested. The excellent writing and superb acting makes this film hard to forget. I recommend this film to everybody, even if you don't find interest in war. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 9. This film is rated R for strong language and violence.