Platoon
1986
****
Director: Oliver Stone
Cast: Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Forest Whitaker, Keith David, Francesco Quinn, Kevin Dillon, John C. McGinley,
Reggie Johnson, Mark Moses, Corey Glover, Johnny Depp, Chris Pedersen
In 1967, Chris Taylor volunteers for the Vietnam War, but he quickly learns the harsh realities of combat life. His infantry platoon is led by Staff Sergeants Barnes and Elias. While Barnes is battle-hardened and disillusioned, Elias has not yet allowed the war to dehumanise himself. Oliver Stone's directorial breakthrough is a gripping and thought-provoking grassroots war movie, which brought the realism of battle scenes to a new level. The film is based on Stone's own experiences and it explores the moral and psychological challenges faced by the grunts. The cast inludes a number of young unknowns, such as Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, and Johnny Depp. An Academy Award winner for best picture, director, sound, and film editing. Stone made two further movies about the Vietnam War, Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993).
