Review of Platoon (1986) by Dana C — 06 Aug 2010

I've watched this movie probably five million and one times, and I plan to never stop. I've picked up lines here and there, gotten to know the couple of plot flaws throughout the film, and have even gotten to the point where I laugh at the action scenes because I've seen them so many times.

Although, I think the protagonist, Pvt. Taylor, was wrongly given to Charlie Sheen as far as human-to-character relations. I just imagine Charlie Sheen to be a psychopathic maniac in person.

However, the opposition between the terrible SSgt. Barnes (played by Tom Berenger) and the more remorseful Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) played along beautifully with the film.

(SPOILER ALERT. Don't read anything past this. Although it's not too revealing, it's just a kill for the movie overall. If you haven't seen the movie, do yourself a favor, don't read this and GO WATCH IT, NOW!).

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Raiding villages, raping and killing innocent people, and ultimately bringing an end to most of the Bravo company in the 75th Infantry division; The bludgeoning of the one-legged Vietnamese man by Dillion. The near-rape of the young Vietnamese girl by multiple American soldiers. The public execution of the old Vietnamese woman shot by Barnes, leaving her husband and daughter to sob over her fresh corpse. And of course, the heart breaking death of Sgt. Elias in that extremely "maybe too dramatic" scene. Etc. This movie simply leaves you wondering what more to life there truly is; for life can be taken away from you in a mere quarter of a second. Platoon, is a beautiful film, and it truly is as simple as that.

Dana C.