Platoon (1986)

Directed by Oliver Stone. Starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, John C. McGinley, Francesco Quinn, Keith David, Mark Moses, Kevin Dillon, Forest Whitaker, David Neidorf, Reggie Johnson, Dale Dye, Tony Todd. [R]

Oliver Stone’s vivid, trenchant Vietnam War drama as seen through the eyes of Sheen’s green, fresh-from-basic-training infantry volunteer (loosely based on Stone himself). During his tour of duty, he finds himself pulled in different directions by the conflicting viewpoints of two of his sergeants: the brutal, no-nonsense Berenger (with memorable facial scars) and the more agreeable, idealistic Dafoe. Transports the viewer deep into the jungle, at eye-level with the grunts, delivering a visceral experience that has rarely been equaled before or since in a war movie; narrative depicts not just the horrors of combat, but also the day-to-day misery of constant fear and anxiety in inhospitable conditions, without meaning or logic to guide their actions. Perhaps because his budget was so limited, Stone’s showy and sometimes excessive directorial flourishes are nowhere to be seen—he just puts the camera down at ground level and records the chaos. Strong performances from a capable cast, large enough to include a handful of up-and-comers in small roles like Johnny Depp and Living Colour vocalist Corey Glover. Utilizes Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” piece so well that many people think that it’s the film’s original theme composition. Flaws in Stone’s script aside (all-too-clean division within the platoon, naïve final line, etc.), this is a film that works on the gut level—including the punch it delivers to that region—and features numerous moments of harrowing power. Won four Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Editing and Sound.

93/100