Chris Taylor is new recruit, arriving in Vietnam fresh from the States and full of ideals, who joins a veteran platoon on their way into the jungles on a recon mission. From those first moments as the helicopter lands amidst typical clouds of dust, Platoon rings with the truth of the Vietnam war. You can feel the coating of dirt clinging to the sides of your mouth and filling the corners of your eyes. Director Oliver Stone chooses to have Taylor narrate the events that follow and this wise choice assures that the film reaches a personal level that may not otherwise have been possible. The narrative is one of the most effective I can recall, never detracting or distancing one from the action, but adding an additional layer of fabric to the already richly woven story.
Platoon works on many levels.
Foremost, it is a film about war, that brilliantly captures the subtleties of the day to day existence in the Vietnam jungle. While it is also Chris Taylor's story, it succeeds also as the story of this group of men living under the greatest of pressures. Stone's screenplay is a consummately intuitive work that has developed from his deepest being. The man has lived this experience and the resultant details that bring Platoon to life are amazing in their insight. The ensemble cast works wonders under the prodding and challenging direction of Oliver Stone.