Platoon
Directed by Oliver StoneChris Taylor, a neophyte recruit in Vietnam, finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.
Platoon Ratings & Reviews
- Pissed Off PapaJuly 21, 2025When this first came out in Modesto, Ca. A Viet Nam Vet walked out of the theater crying, he stated to the media, that it was just too real, like being back in the Nam. I have watched this movie repeatedly and will continue to watch it. This movie has a great selection of Actors and the directing and writing is top notch. I am only 59 born in 66 when Viet Nam started heating up, but yet my collection of books and movies are all about Viet Nam. I have one relative still alive who served and one day he actually pulled out his photo album and showed me his pix from the 101st Airborne, he was stationed on a firebase manning 105 Howitzers. It was the first time he ever showed anyone that album and talked about it. When you see a Viet Nam Vet, don't say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE... because the majority of our Vets were drafted. Instead give them something they never got.... WELCOME HOME BROTHER. They were called baby killers and had blood and paint thrown on them, they still deserve a Welcome Home.
- Mike MartinsSeptember 29, 2025Oliver Stone’s Platoon is one of the most powerful and unflinching war films ever made. Based on Stone’s own experiences in Vietnam, it strips away the glamour of combat and shows the raw, brutal reality of life in the jungle. Unlike earlier war movies that often leaned on patriotism or spectacle, Platoon is gritty, human, and emotionally devastating. Charlie Sheen delivers a career-defining performance as Chris Taylor, a young soldier thrown into the chaos of Vietnam. The film’s heart lies in the clash between Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger), two men who embody opposite sides of morality and survival. Their conflict—between compassion and ruthlessness—mirrors the soul of the platoon itself. The film’s visuals are haunting, from the claustrophobic jungle ambushes to the iconic slow-motion shot of Elias’s death. Combined with Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, these moments elevate Platoon from a war film into a tragic meditation on humanity. Verdict: Brutal, honest, and unforgettable—Platoon is not just a film, but a testament to the costs of war. Five stars. --- 🎖️ “Did You Know?” Trivia Director’s Experience: Oliver Stone served in Vietnam, making him the first Vietnam veteran to direct a major Hollywood film about the war. Boot Camp: Stone put the cast through a 2-week military-style boot camp in the Philippines to toughen them up and make their performances authentic. Casting Choices: Charlie Sheen wasn’t the first choice—Emilio Estevez (his brother) was originally considered for the lead role. Willem Dafoe’s Role: The iconic scene of Sgt. Elias’s death became one of the most famous war film images of all time, often parodied but still deeply respected. Oscar Glory: The film won 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, cementing its place in film history.
- flavo43December 16, 2025Platoon is one of the most powerful and uncompromising war dramas ever made, offering a raw, personal view of the Vietnam War through the eyes of newly arrived volunteer Chris Taylor. Oliver Stone’s film strips away heroism and replaces it with exhaustion, fear, moral ambiguity, and brutality, reflecting the extremes many American soldiers endured during the conflict. The jungle becomes a pressure cooker where ideology, survival, and sanity collide. The opposing figures of Sgt. Barnes and Sgt. Elias embody the moral fracture within the unit, forcing Taylor—and the audience—to confront the cost of violence and the erosion of humanity in war. The film is unapologetically violent, sadistic at times, and deeply confronting, never allowing comfort or distance from the horrors depicted. Yet beneath the chaos lies a fragile sense of reflection and growth. The ending offers a small measure of hope: unlike many, Taylor survives, changed forever but able to leave. Platoon doesn’t glorify war—it exposes it, and that honesty is what makes it enduring.
- girard57May 14, 2025Excellent production quality. Heart wrenching story though at times you can definitely tell that the director sensationalizes everything that went wrong with the war. This is also evident in some of Charlie Sheen’s weak dialogue, “you just don’t get it mannn”
- christopherbiddle891November 19, 2025I still can't find Johnny Depp. But it was still a pretty good movie.
- James GriffithsOctober 28, 2025Epic movie, awesome acting off some big names names looking very young
- simon8258September 26, 2025Such a great movie from the 80s. So many great actors with breakout roles from this Oliver Stone classic! Particularly Willem Dafoe who deserved an oscar for his role.
- pipanniSeptember 16, 2025A classic war movie with many great scenes. The iconic cover is definitely one of them, of course, and the final battle is still probably the most convincing portrayal of the chaos of war. Top performances by all the cast, including a young Johnny Depp in one of his first roles. Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe are at the height of their talent here, and it shows.
- runinhotJuly 8, 2025Team Barnes or Team Elias
- Kevin WardJuly 2, 2025Oliver Stone’s Oscar Winning War epic. I’ve probably seen most of this in pieces as a kid, but I’ve never sat down and watched the entire thing. The casting director went f🤩king hard on this one. Keith David, Tony Todd, Dafoe…etc. and that barely scratches the surface. Charlie Sheen serving as the moral center of your movie, too. 😆. He’s excellent though and it’s a very good introspective look at the horrors of war. I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy; we fought ourselves. And the enemy was in us. The depiction felt mostly grounded and real outside of a couple super slow-mo deaths that were over dramatized.
- Eithan HopkinsFebruary 24, 2025Classic.
- Charles LondonFebruary 8, 2025Raw and real, the horrors of the Vietnam War are brought to the screen in Oliver Stone's script based on his own experiences. As someone who was too young to be drafted during that turbulent time in American history, I'm reminded of my blessings when watching this sobering award-winning film.
Platoon Trivia
Platoon was released on December 19, 1986.
Platoon was directed by Oliver Stone.
Platoon has a runtime of 1 hr 59 min.
Platoon was produced by Arnold Kopelson.
The key characters in Platoon are Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), Sergeant Elias Grodin (Willem Dafoe), Sergeant Robert "Bob" Barnes (Tom Berenger).
Platoon is rated R.
Platoon is a Drama, War, Action film.
Platoon has an audience rating of 9.3 out of 10.