Platoon
PLATOON (15)
D: Oliver Stone
Orion/Hemdale (Arnold Kopelson)
US 1986
120 mins
War
W: Oliver Stone
DP: Robert Richardson
Ed: Claire Simpson
Mus: Georges Delerue
Charlie Sheen (Pvt. First Class Chris Taylor), Tom
Berenger (Sgt. Barnes), Willem Dafoe (Sgt. Elias), Forest Whitaker (Big Harold), Francesco Quinn (Ramucci), John C. McGinley (Sgt. O'Neill), Kevin Dillon (Bunny),
Johnny Depp (Lerner)
Oliver Stone's Vietnam war classic is a brutally difficult
film to watch, presenting the horrors of war and all the atrocities that come with it with a vivid realism and highly emotional scenes.
The story follows a small unit of soldiers on their tour
of duty which sees them forced to follow unscrupulous & inhumane orders in the name of national service.
It's possibly the most honest war film ever brought to
screen, depicting soldiers as confused, scared and inexperienced individuals forced into battles they had no right to fight and biting off far more than they could possibly
chew.
All aspects of the production are commendable, whilst the
acting from the ensemble is excellent, especially Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger & Willem Dafoe. A young Johnny Depp also crops up in one of his earliest screen performances.
9/10
