Review of Platoon (1986) by Peter N — 08 Aug 2012

Platoon's strength lies in its performances. Back when Charlie Sheen could be taken seriously and Tom Berenger wasn't restricted to only starring in B movies, Oliver Stone's Platoon seared its way into cinematic history.

This is the most personal Vietnam War film I have ever seen, which makes sense seeing as how a lot of it is based on Stone's own experiences. Unfortunately, I was never really able to get into it.

Perhaps it's due to the film's searing reputation as a no-holds-barred ultra-violent war movie, or maybe it's the fact that most of Oliver Stone's most recent endeavors have fallen flat.

I'm not sure. Regardless of the reason, it's difficult for me to discern what makes this one any better than the countless Vietnam movies of that era. Still, I thought it was pretty good. Maybe I just need to watch it again.

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