Platoon (1986)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writer:

Oliver Stone (written by)

Release Date:

24 December 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Tagline:

The first casualty of war is innocence.

Plot:

A young recruit in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.

Plot Keywords:

Held At Gunpoint | One Word Title | Left Behind | Suicide Bomber | Brutality

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Sgt. Bob Barnes
Willem Dafoe	...	Sgt. Elias Grodin
Charlie Sheen	...	Pvt. Chris Taylor
Forest Whitaker	...	Big Harold
Francesco Quinn	...	Rhah
John C. McGinley	...	Sgt. Red O'Neill
Richard Edson	...	Sal
Kevin Dillon	...	Bunny
Reggie Johnson	...	Junior Martin
Keith David	...	King
Johnny Depp	...	Private Gator Lerner
David Neidorf	...	Tex
Mark Moses	...	Lt. Wolfe
Chris Pedersen	...	Crawford
Tony Todd	...	Sgt. Warren

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Vietnamese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:16 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Australia:MA (re-rating) (2007) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Australia:R (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Israel:PG | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R (original rating) | Norway:18 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Vietnam:(Banned) | West Germany:16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Philippines

Company:

Cinema 86

Trivia:

Most of the voices you hear over the radios are provided by Dale Dye.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As Chris is firing at the villagers feet in the hut, no fired shell casings are being ejected from the rifle although we hear it firing.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Pvt. Gardner: [seeing body bags] Aw, man, is that what I think it is?
Sergeant: All right, you cheese-dicks, welcome to the 'nam! Follow me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The King of Queens: Paint Misbehavin' (#3.14)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

WHITE RABBIT

Excellent look at Vietnam

This certainly rates as one of the best Vietnam films of all time. What I especially enjoyed was the realistic atmosphere of the film, entrenching the viewer into a world which seems surreal yet believable. Oliver Stone's real-life experience in Vietnam brought a gifted outlook to this film, one drawn by experience, not common Hollywood conventions. While this proved be a lesser film to the equally amazing Full Metal Jacket, it was not by much. The performances by Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen and John C. McGinley were exceptional, capturing the plight of the tortured soldiers.