Writer and director Oliver Stone’s 1986 war film has been hailed as one of the greatest war movies of all time for its realistic and heartbreaking portrayal of what life was like on the frontlines during the Vietnam War.
It’s no surprise, since Stone’s own experience as a Vietnam War veteran made this film the first Hollywood movie written and directed by someone who served in the war.
Stone reportedly wrote the screenplay based on his time serving as a US infantryman in Vietnam, in an effort to counter the portrayal of war in John Wayne’s The Green Berets.
Platoon, starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Johnny Depp, Kevin Dillon, Keith David, John C. McGinley, and Forest Whitaker, was the first in the trilogy of Vietnam War films directed by Oliver Stone.
It was followed by Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993). In a rousingly poignant portrayal, Platoon sees a fresh US army volunteer (Sheen) deployed in Vietnam while in a sharp contrast, his Platoon Sergeant (Berenger) and his Squad Leader (Dafoe) confront the morality of the platoon’s actions and the war as a whole.
Platoon proved to be a blockbuster at the box-office, having amassed $138.5 million globally against a humble production budget of $6 million.
It went on to become the third highest-grossing domestic (US & Canada) film of 1986. In a nod to its brilliance, Platoon was nominated for eight top honours at the 59th Academy Awards, out of which it bagged four: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.
With an 89 per cent critics approval rating and a smashing 93 per cent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Platoon has proven to be a success with both critics and audiences over the years.
Praising the film and its director, one critic wrote: “Oliver Stone’s harrowing war picture was the first movie that felt like a genuine depiction of that terrible war, and brought collective catharsis for America’s tragedy in Vietnam.”
While another critic explained how she was completely enthralled: “I didn’t take a single note during the screening of Platoon: It’s that engrossing, that overwhelming.”
Lauding unparalleled praise, one critic wrote: “Platoon is the best American combat movie since All Quiet on the Western Front, and may be the most realistic of all American war movies.”
While another called it: “One of the most visceral and authentic war films ever made.”
Boasting incredible audience reviews, one viewer wrote: “A powerful, painful, must-see film — an impassioned and riveting dispatch from the front that’s at once a battle cry and a lamentation.”
While a fan said of the film: “Everytime I watch this I notice something different. The most accurate and best movie about the Vietnam War that I have ever seen. The cast is outstanding, music, cinematography, just all incredible. Simply incredible movie.”
Another audience review stated: “Best war film ever made in my opinion. Excellent beyond words!”
While one viewer showered high praise upon the director: “Oliver Stone is a genius. A very important piece of cinema history.”
Platoon is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.