Platoon (Special Edition) Reviews

• Rumors that Platoon is being RERELEASED on DVD

  
  By A2OIEHETU2GU8E on 2000-02-09
  The reason this movie is no longer for sale is because New Line was bought out a while ago by MGM (or something along those lines, but MGM now owns the video rights). MGM is rumored to be planning a special edition of Platoon in August, which probably means they are just rereleasing the old New Line DVD and calling it a Special Edition. Hope you find that useful!
  
  

• How a nation lost its innocence

  
  By ABN5K7K1TM1QA on 2003-02-15
  In one sense this can be seen as Oliver Stone's attempt to account for the massacre at My Lai for which Lt. William Calley was famously court-martialed. One recalls a statement made at the time by somebody in close concert with the logic of the Vietnam War: "We had to destroy the village in order to save it." But more inclusively, Oliver Stone's film addresses the question of what war does to us as it focuses on Pvt. Chris Taylor, played by Charlie Sheen, who gave up his student deferment, joined the army and volunteered to fight in Vietnam as his patriotic duty. How the twisted logic of war changes him and corrupts him and others in his platoon is the story of the film.

  To Oliver Stone's credit it can be said that this movie, first released in 1989, helped to shock a new generation of Americans into understanding just why our involvement in Vietnam was a tragic mistake and to warn us not to do anything like that again. The fact that recent military adventures by the US have been limited engagements with limited objectives (instead of the vague and unrestricted policy of stopping the spread of communism, which was the rationale for the war in Vietnam)--engagements that have been carefully orchestrated to avoid becoming mired in the kind of hand-to-hand combat favoring the side defending its own turf as shown in this film, owes something to Stone's vision and to that of other film makers. One also recalls Senator Barry Goldwater R, Arizona) who advocated "winning" the war in Vietnam by "bombing them back into the Stone Age." Stone's film suggests just how impossible that would have been.

  Tom Berenger gives a splendid and somewhat horrific performance as Sgt. Barnes, the "War Lover" (the phrase is the title of John Hersey's WWII novel), who kills both friend and foe indiscriminately. Willem DaFoe plays his opposite, Sgt. Elias who is the model of the good soldier. The rest of the cast gives fine support while the script by Stone, partially from personal experience, is full of authentic dialogue and veracious detail. The clash between our civilized nature and our baser instincts is well presented.

  It is impossible to fairly compare this to other excellent Vietnam War movies such as The Deer Hunter (1978), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Apocalypse Now (1979), et al., because they are all so different. I do believe that Platoon was more of a throwback to World War II movies in the sense that it focused on the dynamics of the soldiers immersed in actual battles with the enemy. Yet on the other hand it falls completely within the Vietnam War genre by looking beyond the battles to address the larger question of why, and the war's consequences. In World War II movies, the why was never in doubt, and the consequences were not an issue.

  The theme of this movie has been expressed as the loss of innocence, and that is a fair assessment; but I think it wasn't so much the soldiers themselves who lost their innocence, although many did, but a nation that lost its. We were a different country before Vietnam. We have never been the same since, and we will never be the same again.
  
  

• Stridently Antiwar Propaganda; NOT the Way It Actually Was!

  
  By on 1999-01-26
  Speaking from the experience of two full tours in Vietnam and as Oliver Stone's company commander during his service in 25th Infantry Division (Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry), I take serious exception to his portrayal of our soldiers as spaced-out, cruel dopeheads who routinely smoked dope, committed atrocities and tried to kill each other. My soldiers -- and soldiers in Vietnam in general -- were not like that at all. During that time, Stone was a good soldier, attested to by the facts that, to the best of my knowlege, I never had to punish him, and that he departed Bravo on 15 Jan 1968 by medical evac helicopter after being seriously wounded trying to take a bunker with two other men. His radicalism seems to have emerged after his tour in Vietnam. Whatever the reason, this movie does a gross disservice to the vast majority of American troops who went to Vietnam as ordered by their government, did the job given them the best they could, and returned home to become normal, productive citizens. I won't say that unsavory events did not occur in Vietnam -- as they have in every war -- but they were not typical. For example, My Lai occurred, a criminal act committed by a small group of soldiers who should have been soundly punished as the criminals they were. However, My Lai was an aberation, although movies like "Platoon" play it up as the norm.

  To give Stone his due, the really good part of the movie was the feeling of being there which he recreated: the heat and dehydration, humping heavy packs, red ant dances; the attempt to conduct an ambush while fighting fatigue, rain, mosquitoes, and having the VC sneak up on you because your lookout went to sleep. Those things were very real, and Stone did these better than anyone else. Stone ruins the film for those of us in Bravo Company (identified at the beginning of the film) -- and real Vietnam vets in general -- by throwing into this real ambiance all the antiwar images and rumors ever associated with Vietnam created by those violently opposed to the war.

  Stone says that he is a dramatist, and that he changes and shapes events to suit his views of those events; he says that he is not a documentarian, as I am. I guess that means that I record the true events, while he takes history and twists and shapes it into his kind of fiction. Therefore, if you want to learn the real history of Bravo Company during the time Stone and I were in the unit, and the truth about America's Vietnam soldiers and veterans in general, I recommend that you read two books: my book, "Platoon: Bravo Company" and B.G. Burkett's book, "Stolen Valor." Don't be afraid to find out the truth -- you owe it to those who served and died there.
  
  

• Riveting

  
  By A11PTCZ2FM2547 on 2003-02-13
  "I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy. We fought ourselves. And the enemy was in us."

  Thus the summation of Private Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) at the end of this film, a film about war, hate, self-realization, and survival. PLATOON tells a powerful story that moves beyond the horror and gore of the Vietnam War, a story that ultimately depicts the demise and disintegration of a dysfunctional combat unit. We see young Chris change before our very eyes, from a green, idealistic "grunt" to an embittered, disillusioned soldier. Chris' platoon is dominated--and subsequently divided--by two strong, yet very different men: Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe). Barnes is cold, calculating, brutal, intolerant; Elias is compassionate, humanistic. The battle of wills between these two men is just as challenging as the Viet Cong out in the bush, and just as deadly. The film's climatic ending is powerful, spellbinding.

  I dismiss naysayers of PLATOON as a soapbox for writer/director Oliver Stone's political agenda just as much as I dismiss Mr. Stone's politics. PLATOON hits you between the eyes with its depictions of warfare and human conflict, again and again. There's nothing to feel good about by watching this movie, just as there is nothing to feel good about by fighting a war. It is a dark, negative film--a negative film that happens to be compelling, thought-provoking, and very riveting.
  
  

• horrors of war

  
  By A1XBYZX09V1OB4 on 2008-03-08
  Oliver Stone's Platoon transcends the romanticization that so often infuses our thinking about war with a painfully honest portrayal of its dehumanizing effects. Charlie Sheen plays Chris Taylor, whose idealism drives him to leave college for the hellish jungles of Vietnam. He sheds his innocence quickly, however, as the horrors of war take a heavy toll on his body and his sanity. After witnessing acts of barbarity by fellow soldiers--including rape and the deliberate killing of civilians--Taylor becomes aware that he is fighting not only an external enemy, but an inner one as well.
  
  Representing the sides of this internal battle are Sergeant Elias (William Dafoe), who shows compassion towards his men and is outraged by atrocities he witnesses, and Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger), who displays no regard for human life. With their sanity pushed to its limits by the terror of combat, members of the platoon are torn between the two men and begin to turn on each other.
  
  This film is disturbing in its brutal realism, and the painful questions it raises remain relevant decades after the Vietnam War, particularly in light of incidents such as the Haditha massacre and the overwhelming numbers of Iraq veterans struggling with PTSD. Platoon sheds light on the conditions that breed atrocity and the devastating psychological effects of war upon soldiers. It is not an antiwar film, nor one with a political agenda; it is simply a raw, candid film about war's impact.
  
  
• The Best Vietnam Film Ever.
  By A3N3SN2DDD4HCJ on 2000-01-03
  Oliver Stone's "Platoon" is one of the best and most powerful of all war pictures. It is the best movie ever made about the Vietnam war. Stone's film is gritty, frighteningly realistic and incredibly powerful. Stone doesn't just show us the Vietnam war, he takes into the Vietnam war. The screenplay is brilliant and doesn't fall into the trap that other war films fall into, where the violence turns into a fun experience and fighting seems "cool." This is a movie that truly shows the horrors of war realistically and with great effect. The cinematography by Robert Richardson (JFK, Natural Born Killers) is rich and gritty, giving more feeling to already great material. The characters are believable and convincing. It's great work because Stone himself went to Vietnam, so he has a better idea of what happened than Francis Ford Coppola when he made "Apocalypse Now" (which is also a great movie). "Platoon" is mesmerizing, powerful, effective, disturbing and even philosophical. It is one of Stone's greatest works. He ignites the screen with passion. The music is incredibly moving. No other director has made better films about Vietnam than Stone, who's "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "Heaven And Earth" followed "Platoon," and opened our eyes to greater clarity. I was never less than spellbound by this work. "Platoon" vibrates with realism and energy. A very special motion picture.
  
  
• The Greatest Vietnam Movie, In my opinon.
  By on 2000-08-10
  Oliver Stone's "Platoon" is one of the best and most powerful of all war pictures. It is the best movie ever made about the Vietnam war. Stone's film is gritty, frighteningly realistic and incredibly powerful. Stone doesn't just show us the Vietnam war, he takes into the Vietnam war. The screenplay is brilliant and doesn't fall into the trap that other war films fall into, where the violence turns into a fun experience and fighting seems "cool." This is a movie that truly shows the horrors of war realistically and with great effect. The cinematography by Robert Richardson (JFK, Natural Born Killers) is rich and gritty, giving more feeling to already great material. The characters are believable and convincing. It's great work because Stone himself went to Vietnam, so he has a better idea of what happened than Francis Ford Coppola when he made "Apocalypse Now" (which is also a great movie). "Platoon" is mesmerizing, powerful, effective, disturbing and even philosophical. It is one of Stone's greatest works. He ignites the screen with passion. The music is incredibly moving. No other director has made better films about Vietnam than Stone, who's "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "Heaven And Earth" followed "Platoon," and opened our eyes to greater clarity. I was never less than spellbound by this work. "Platoon" vibrates with realism and energy. A very special motion picture
  
  
• Conservatives, You Can Come Out of Your Foxholes
  By A1NJ3B7GYDWEBG on 2008-04-06
  First, let me lay my cards on the table: I'm a conservative republican, am generally pro-military (i.e. U.S.), and distrust Oliver Stone nearly as much as I do Michael Moore. Further, I don't know if I've ever agreed with a thing that the Sheen family has said. Yet even though some of my political pals disdain this movie, I feel differently. I half-expected a heavy dose of lefty-propaganda and intentional distortion, but for the most part was pleasantly surprised. I try to evaluate every item I encounter fairly and individually (instead of a knee jerk reaction), and these are my thoughts on Platoon, after viewing it again tonight:
  
  On the 'positive' side, the film rightly shows the awfulness of war. Again and again, liberals seem to think that those on the right somehow deny this. Of course we do not! I give the movie high marks for depicting war as a living nightmare. Personally, I cringe when some of the older movies represent war as little more than a comic book boys' fantasy. I also thought Platoon contained some admirable acting (Sheen, Dafoe, Berenger, David), and combat scenes. It held me throughout.
  
  The one major criticism I would make, and the flaw that keeps it from being an elite film in my opinion, is the way in which it reaches too far to show the dark side and corruption of the soldiers (American). Stone has a crippling weakness for sensationalism (evidence: JFK), and it seeped through some here. For instance, you cannot take the worst atrocities (even if they are all factual, which I question) and then portray them as representative of a typical company of soldiers and their Vietnam experience. Yet this was the impression given. In fact, it was basically the story. This is irresponsible and misleading. One of the film's few faults, but a bad one.
  
  However, when considered as a whole, Platoon has much to commend it. While it is unfortunate that its weaknesses diminish its merit, they do not ruin it. I'd be very surprised if Stone ever makes another movie nearly as good.
  
  
• "Everybody gotta die sometime, Red."
  By A2ZLROGIL2V7GV on 2003-05-10
  A daring, emotionally charged, and powerful war movie that breaks down all the rules and boundaries, "Platoon" is a film like no other. The first time I watched this was a few years ago, and it must've been on a day where I wasn't really focusing on it. Well, I gave it another shot and it was like seeing it for the very first time. It was like I had never seen the movie before. "Platoon" is an emotional experience you don't want to miss out on.

  Inspired by his involvement in the Vietnam War, writer and director Oliver Stone paints an honest and brutal movie about the terrible war. There are no lonesome heroes, there are no wham-bam shoot-em up scenes, and there is not a single moment in this film that makes you think of war as glamorous. The movie paints war as it is; absolute Hell. Tom Berenger, William Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, and many other famous names star in this fantastic and heart-breaking film, and give those like me who have never seen war a horrifying picture. I believe this was one of the first war movies that didn't just show you soldiers, but those soldiers actually are; human-beings.

  Oliver Stone executes the movie with so much authenticity and care. If this movie were done by anybody else who had NOT been in the Vietnam War, this would be a completely different movie. I believe that he was very honest in his own portrayal of what he saw and experienced. He makes you see these soldiers not as soldiers, but as real human-beings. Human-beings who feel pain and can break down, as you see many of them do in the movie. I think he did a spectacular job of orchestrating it all.

  The actors were great too. There were so many that I can't get into them all, but I will get to the major players. William Dafoe is brilliant in his role, as usual. Tom Berenger is mean as hell and as cold as they come. There is NO WAY anybody else could've played the part. And Charlie Sheen did a outstanding job as the naïve and emotionally-broken down soldier who you know is going to explode at any minute. Everybody was great in their roles, is what it all comes down to.

  This DVD edition is pretty neat, although for a movie of this magnitude it would've been nice to have a 2-disk edition. Still, what you do get is nothing lacking. The picture and sound quality has been restored which is a big improvement over the very first version that came out. There are cool special features such as commentaries, an outstanding documentary, the theatrical trailer and TV spots, and a photo gallery. All of them really do enrich the movie and I'm glad they were included.

  A while back I said that I thought "Black Hawk Down" was the best war movie I had ever seen. Mainly because there wasn't supposed to be a plot or character development, it just reported exactly what went down on that day. But now, I'm going to have to change my opinion on that. I now think that "Platoon" is by far the best war movie I have ever seen, and I have a feeling it will be the best war movie that I ever will see. It's going to be hard to top it, no doubt about it. If you haven't given this spectacular and honest film a chance, by all means go out to the nearest video store by you and pick up a copy. "Platoon" is one of those movies I think everyone should see at some point in their lives. It's an important, emotional, powerful, and gripping film. There's not too many like this, that's for sure.
  
  

• Jack55
  By AY9Y8OVLOHPIQ on 2003-07-01
  I first saw Platoon in a theater in Waikiki as a member of the 25th ID, which is the same division depicted in the film. A big chunk of the audience also seemed to be from Schofield Barracks. They cheered wildly at some parts, like whenever a charcter refered to "grunts" or killing VC. We were all very young and had no way to know what Vietnam was really like. I enjoyed the move. It's entertaining and well acted, but is very much more of a work of fiction than I at first realised. I came to this opinion after reading the book "Platoon - Bravo Company" by Robert Hemphill. He was Oliver Stone's company commander in Vietnam. His book paints a much more honorable picture of the unit and is much closer to my peace-time impression of the US Army than Stone's criminal/irresponsible characters. Read Hemphill's book and skip this movie.
  
  
• Over rated and Untrue
  By on 2003-11-08
  This is Stone's hollywood view of what occurred in Vietnam. More guilt trips than truth. As a 2 year in-country vet, I believe it is deplorable that he fails to note that the mission itself was an honorable one and so was the performance of the American soldier. He managed to contribute to the stereotype of the Vietnam soldier as a baby killer and drug addict, which is not the truth.This film does not belong in the same catagory as "The Longest Day".
  
  
• Not even Close G.I.
  By A1TMAVN4CEM8U8 on 2008-01-14
  Platoon DVD
  
  Platoon Starts out with the phrase "Somewhere near the Cambodian border" I can tell you exactly where that is. That's my old Area of Operation ( A.O ). Charlie Sheen plays a Vietnam soldier in the 25th Infantry Division ( my old Division ). You see the armored Personnel Carriers at the end of the movie that come to the rescue? That's us; the 2nd of the 22nd Mechanized Infantry (the Triple Deuce).They even showed the bull dozers that we had, unofficially of course...
  
  Bottom line on this movie, Oliver Stone is either a liar or a fool. About the only thing he got correct in this movie was the uniforms worn by the U.S. soldiers. The V.C and NVA were shown in incorrect clothing. You'd think that since this movie was made in 1986 he could have gotten it right if he wanted to. No wonder the American public had/have such a distorted view of what really happened in Viet Nam.
  
  Not recommended for anyone who wants a historically accurate portrayal of the Viet Nam War. Maybe Oliver Stone was smoking something?
  
  Gunner January, 2008
  
  
  
• BEST MOVIE EVER
  By A1BEW0WJM7RW9E on 2000-03-12
  It's very easy-Platoon is an outstanding movie. It delivers great should have won oscar award performances from Dafoe and Berenger, but Sheen did an amazing job to. This move is seen through the eyes of ,Chris [Sheen], a newcomer to the war. He soon expierences all the nightmares of the war and wonders what the hell he is doing in it. To make it worse, his platoon is split between two dueling sergeants [Dafoe and Berenger]and the men that follow them. Berenger is a shoot everything , kill everything pyscopathic leader while Dafoe has lost his faith and belief in the war. Not only does Chris have to deal with the war but he must choose between his two sergeants.This film will always keep you at the each of your seat and wanting more. After watching it you will soon feel and know how horrible it must have been in Vietnam. I also recommend Born On The Fourth of July, another Oliver Stone film. But this one deals with the events that occured after the war. I recommend you go out and get Platoon because you will want to watch it over and over. Platoon is a very powerful film and in my opinion Oliver Stone is an outstanding director.
  
  
• Vietnam soldiers were NOT like this.
  By on 1999-09-01
  I spent a tour in Vietnam from '68-'69 and honestly cannot say much good about Stones' depiction of US soldiers. (Note: Stone's ridiculous movie 'Nixon' was roundly criticized as inaccurate. Stone responded with some comment that he was in the business of 'creating history'.) Stone is attempting a brainwashing operation here against the American public. Platoon depicts the oppressive atmosphere of Vietnam well, but his characterizations of the Troops and their interrelations are completely false. 'Platoon' relates to the Vietnam War as a sort of reverse propaganda effort. Kind of like an 'anti-GungHo' flick. The best sort of an anti-war flick is an accurate movie like 'Saving Private Ryan' or 'Hamburger Hill' not this sort of commie-prop that Stone has as his life's mission.
  
  
• A good movie, but a false story.
  By on 2000-08-16
  Platoon is a well filmed, well acted and well directed movie. I have seen it a half a dozen times. Stone captures the ambience of Nam well, especially the debilitating (to Americans) climate. He also depicts the boozers vs. potheads conflicts that often occurred in the rear 'safer' areas. This is a good movie, well worth owning.
  
  However. The thing that rankles is that this is a claimed depiction of a supposed 'typical' US Army unit during the Vietnam War. Stone is hallucinating. While each of the various atrocities occurred at some point in the war it is disingenuous to attempt to create the belief in moviegoers that what occurred in this movie was a sort of soup du jour for the US Army. Stone claimed that his movie is based on his experiences in Nam. Stone is a liar. After all, I was there for a year and saw none of these things. I heard that they occurred, but neither I nor any other vet I know ever saw such things first hand. Much of the reputation of US troops as atrocituers originated during the infamous "Winter Soldier Investigation" of the early 70's. The claims about rampant artrocities were made for the most part by liars who had, in many cases, never been in the military, much less in Vietnam.
  Stone's movies in general are propaganda pieces that attempt to rewrite history. "Nixon" and "Born on the Fourth of July" are especially ridiculous misrepresentations of history. This is a common occurrance in Hollywood. False depictions of true events are commonplace in movies. This is usually for the promotion of the personal political beliefs of Hollywood moviemakers. Stone is a political activist and this shows glaringly in his films. Stone even publicly admitted that his intention is to create "proper" understandings of history and that he is willing to bend the facts for his "higher purpose". Stone's claims of historical accuracy should be taken with a grain of salt.
  
  I didn't intend to turn this into a diatribe. "Platoon" effectively depicts many of the darker aspects of the Vietnam War. But do not take it too seriously. It is an allegory, not history. There were many good and heroic things that occurred also. Many GIs died protecting Vietnamese civilians. Stone besmirches their memories. Keep "The Green Berets" and "Hamburger Hill" in your library for some balance.
  
  
• Most horrible inaccurite portrayal to the Vietnam War
  By AEWTBWTSPM8L5 on 2002-06-15
  First off, this was the most horrid movie ever seen. I want to say this, I was not in Vietnam, but I know at least 30 people who had served their time in South East Asia to say this: This movie is a huge slap in the face of the brave men and women who spent their time there. The movie itself is the cynnical idea of a person who has obvoisly spent hgis time protesting the war and porlonging the war to the best of his possibility. It portrays soldiers as "baby killers" and pot heads. It is very much so the popular stereo type for depicting soldiers including our men and women serving in uniform, as monsters with no regard for human life. That they are emotionless, trigger happy, non-intellegent inhuman creatures who will kill they see, no matter if they are man woman or child. The big hype of soldiers being protrayed as babykillers didnt really accur until the incedent in Mai Lay. Which was of coarse and isolated incedent for the most part. What Captain Cally and his people did there was evil and hartless, and should have been tried and thus senteced to death. But no true self respecting soldier would ever hjave done such a thing, nor a real man would do that, or a realy soldier for that matter. And this movie puts soldiers in a bad light. When I decided to join the army, alot of people called me a monster, they call me a war lover, and most of all baby kiler. I am only 19 years old, I ahve enlisted into the army a year ago. This movie is a major dscriminations of vets who fought and died and survived every war since the revolution. It brings tears to mny eyes when I see discraseful movies such as these gets so popular that they think that was always true, that ever LRRP, Ranger, Special Forces, Infantry, Seal or Marine was like. This is not true. I hope one day people can see the truth that soldiers are humans. IF you wanna see movies that are accurate and truthful I recommend Band of Brothers, Hamburger Hill, Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam. These people saw hell, they hated it. They were human. They never wanted to kill anybody, and I hope to god I never go into combat, but if my country calls, I will go and fight, because then I will have the right to say war is wrong. Anybody else who says war is wrong, ask them "Have you served in the military?" If they say no, just nod your head and walk away
  
  
• 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition vs Ultimate Edition.
  By A3CF3ZTA1T3RUW on 2006-04-15
  I just wanted to clear up something said by L. Petersen. The 20th Anniversary Edition release of this film is not the same as the Ultimate Edition. The 20th Anniversary Edition includes 10 minutes of deleted footage, including alot of the footage Stone cut of Johnny Depp.
  
  The Ultimate Edition was remastered and had a lot stills included with it. Heres a list of its special features:
  
  * Audio commentary from writer/director Oliver Stone
  * Audio commentary from military advisor Capt. Dale Dye
  * 'A Tour Of The Inferno': a 'making of' documentary (50 mins)
  * 'Bringing It All Back Home' featurette (15 mins)
  * 'Lights Out' featurette (10 mins)
  * Still galleries
  * TV spots
  * Original theatrical trailer
  
  They are mostly the same as the Special Edition with the exception of two new 10 minute featurettes. But it does not include any deleted scenes, unlike the 20th Annivesary edition.
  
  
• A DVD set befitting this significant milestone!
  By A21B2TJBWCSK1R on 2006-05-30
  The last Platoon DVD had some impressive extras, most notably two audio commentaries and a retrospective making of documentary. These have been included along with several additional featurettes and deleted scenes.
  
  The first disc features an audio commentary by Oliver Stone. He talks about the challenges of making Platoon on a low budget and working in a harsh, unforgiving environment. This track is filled with fascinating personal insights and is essential listening for any fan of the movie.
  
  Also included is a commentary track by the film's military advisor Dale Dye, a retired Marine of 22 years with 30 months in Vietnam. This is a great track that is technical but also accessible and really makes you appreciate the amount of work that went into this movie.
  
  All of the new extras are contained on the second disc, starting with "Deleted and Extended Scenes" with optional commentary by Stone. Most interestingly, is an alternate ending for Barnes which Stone says he now wishes had been used.
  
  "Snapshot in Time: 1967-1968" gives a historical perspective to the time period the film takes place in and puts things into perspective by exploring the origins of the conflict and how the U.S. got involved.
  
  "Creating the `Nam" takes a look at how the filmmakers created the condition of Vietnam in the Philippines on a limited budget. Some highlights include a bit about how they created the village in the movie from scratch and did such a good job that locals moved in with no prompting!
  
  "Raw Wounds: The Legacy of Platoon" examines the film's legacy and how it gave veterans the dignity they deserved and allowed the U.S. to come to terms with the war.
  
  "One War, Many Stories" features a group of vets talking about the movie after a screening and how it relates to their own experiences. These guys tell some fascinating stories that are in turn juxtaposed with Stone talking about his own experiences.
  
  Included from the previous edition is "Tour of the Inferno," an excellent, in-depth retrospective documentary that brought back a lot of the film's cast who talk about their experiences making the film. This is a fantastic doc that manages not to repeat too much of what was said in the two commentary tracks.
  
  "Preparing for the `Nam" examines what basic training was like with vets talking about their experiences. It was tough but also taught them valuable lessons that helped them survive and bonded them with their fellow recruits.
  
  Finally, from the previous edition, there are photo galleries, three T.V. spots and a theatrical trailer.
  
  
• Blatant Propaganda
  By A1LKLP9ASN2787 on 2000-06-19
  Anti-Vietnam rhetoric laced with (Oliver) Stone's insatiable need for conspiracy; a terrible film.

  Yes, Oliver, we know civilians were killed in Vietnam. Yes, Oliver, we know innocent women were raped. Yes, Oliver, we know American soldiers commited some atrocious acts in that war.

  However, contrary to what Mr. Stone would like you to believe, these acts were not common occurrences. American soldiers were not ``baby killers," nor ``murders," nor ``pot smoking lunatics."

  It was not hard to find heroism and humanitarians in Vietnam; the murderers and rapists were few and far between. It offends me dearly when I see movies such as this which judge the majority by the minority -- short of calling upon the public to collectively spit in every veteran's face, Mr. Stone could not have done a greater injustice to the common American footsoldier.

  I humbly ask you to read the negative reviews of this film; not the gorging masses. Many Vietnam veterans hated this film, including Mr. Stone's own sergeant (?) who served with him during the war.

  Skip over Platoon. Instead, watch Full Metal Jacket to see how ``the 'Nam" really was. Kubrick (God rest his soul) was thrice the man Stone will ever be.
  
  

• Fiction !
  By on 2000-12-24
  This movie was based on not greater than 10% fact and no less than 90% fiction. One only needs to read Robert Hemphill's book Platoon: Bravo Company to fine the truth.
  
  
• INNACURATE, SLANDERING, OVERRATED,
  By APBSMBRAGDC3L on 2001-09-13
  The fact that "Platoon" could be treated as Godspell regarding the Vietnam War is a sad commentary on the reading habits,single mindedness and stubborn resistance to evaluate and re-evaluate history.

  So many GOOD books offered here in Amazon!Rather than read what the new understanding of the Vietnam experience is -in particular related to the US servicepersons - we choose to obtain knowledge from a film that uses the power of image,sound and dramatic manipulation to present a distorted view of the Vietnam War hoping to advance a political viewpoint.
  No serious Vietnam War/Military History/US History scholar considers "Platoon" as "Vietnam as it really was".For example, Stephen Ambrose refute the idea put forward by movies and some books like "Platoon" of the dope smoking, baby killing green machine.In fact as time passes,more facts come to light and political axes stop being grinded, it is predicted that a new more accurate portrayal of the Vietnam War fighting man will emerge in movies.

  Robert Hemphill in his book " Platoon: Bravo Company " dispels all the lies and exagerations in Oliver Stone's portrayal" Platoon".Hemphill was none other than the company commander of the unit shown in Stone's movie.The 25th Infantry Division's veterans of the Tropic Lightning Association including those who served under Hemphill have disavowed that movie.

  Granted....special effects and the technical advisement of Dale Dye(Saving Private Ryan,Band of Brothers and many more)made this movie very realistic in the way combat was depicted and actors were made to look as if they were humping the boonies.Thats it.

  Thanks to Amazon's offers of books by Harry G. Summers( "Vietnam War Almanac" and " Historical Atlas of the Vietnam War"),Eric Bergerud( "Red Thunder,Tropic Lightning: The World of a Combat Division in Vietnam-the 25th Inf.Div precisely)and B.G.Burkett ("Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation was Robbed of its heroes and history")I learned this:

  
  Atrocities were a matter of official policy by the Hanoi goverment following the doctrines of Lenin,Mao and Ho himself regarding the way to raise to power and holding to it.Counter revolutionaries,reactionaries,puppets of the Yankee imperialism,exploiters were the label used for victims of Communist "people's justice".No Uniform Code of Military Justice to break,no court martials or boards of inquiry to face.

  
  Drugs? Vietnam was the command with less drug rate until 1969-1970 when it began to raise.The drug problem started during the withdrawal phase from 1969 to 1971-72 but only as a reflection of an Armed Forces wide problem-not confined to South Vietnam- which was in turn due to what was happening in society as a whole.About 90% of all of those who ever served in S.E Asia have come and go before that.Total % of users were in the 10 to 12 %.Defeat by the north Vietnamese? No major campaign was lost in the war.No Bataan,no early phase of the Battle of the Bulge.What happened between March 1973 and April 1975 did not included US servicemen,except during the evacuation of Saigon and the Mayaguez incident.

  
  I learned a LOT from these and other books.People,try to learn something new,too!The best way to honor those who faced Communist totalitarism in the jungles of S.E. Asia is to get the facts.In times like these we are living through, Freedom loving people worldwide can not afford to dishonor those who fought so you won't.
  
  

• Simplistic, over-stylized, over-rated
  By on 2000-06-28
  Platoon is one of the more over-rated films in recent history. I saw it on its original release and watched it again recently. Charlie Sheen plays "Oliver Stone/Everyman" caught between the battle of a new drug (pot) Jesus and an old drug (alcohol) Satan. The themes are simplistic and banal, as if we are watching someone attempt to explain a dream they had to their analyst.

  The cinematography and sound in this film are excellent; but to what end? Because of the banality of the "letter home" voice-over and the shallowness of all the characters, I found myself looking for other ways into the film. Like Apocalypse Now (another over-rated Vietnam film) we are presented with a series of set pieces, each one designed to horrify us more than the previous ones. In the case of Platoon, I think the raiding of the village scene is the only one that works. The others are often over-directed or under-motivated, pushing me out of the film rather than drawing me into it. Also, the allegorical aspects of the film wear themselves out quickly.
  
  

• Great Story, So-So DVD
  By A227E26SPZO7A1 on 2000-10-17
  Platoon is unquestionably one of the most powerful movies I've seen within the last twenty years. Though I was too young to remember the horror that was the Vietnam War, this movie captures the emotion and tragedy of what was a dark era in our nation's history. Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe all put in strong performances. (Sheen, in particular, is excellent as the young private who is baptized into the ways of war.) In a sense, this is "Lord of the Flies" set in 1967 Vietnam.

  The visual transfer to DVD is very good, but it's the audio that brings the film down a notch. Yes, the cover case indicates 5.1 Dolby Surround, but you can hardly tell even with the sound cranked up. It might as well be in monaural. The explosions are muffled and the gunfire is almost too frequently indistinguishable. (I guess after viewing "Saving Private Ryan" on DVD I'm somewhat spoiled.) Also, there are no deleted scenes or notable "extras" included in the DVD. I give the DVD 5 stars for content and 3 stars for technical details.
  
  

• a mystery
  By A2NLE2N4BUIFKD on 2002-02-17
  Maybe it's because I'm too young. Maybe it's because I saw Apocolypse Now and Full Metal Jacket all before Platoon. Maybe I just have no taste in movies. Whatever the reason, I don't understand why anyone would consider this the best Vietnam War movie ever made. For that matter, I'm curious as to what the other 1986 nominations were because if this was Best Picture that year must have been a slump.

  It's my opinion that a film should never consciously try to emotionally influence an audience; if the material's good, it will happen naturally. Now, I love Oliver Stone just as much as the next guy, but right from the opening titles I couldn't help but feel that this was Stone's attempt at tugging every string in the audience's collective heart. The music is beautiful but the way it's used gives the film's emotion no room to grow. Never at any point during this film was I shocked or moved. I wanted to be and I knew that Stone wanted me to be, but it was that aforementioned excercise of manipulation that distanced me from the film. Not to mention Sheen's inconsistant performance. One minute he's doing fine. The next he's crossed the line from drama into melodrama and camp. It was hard taking him seriously. Even Tom Berenger's portrayal of Barnes seemed over the top at times.

  The story's a bit contrived, too. I can appreciate the discension in the ranks, but it just feels like the drama was pushed way over the top. I recall a few death scenes and sequences that could have been good but just fell short. And on top of all this, the sound design (which it also won an oscar for) is horrible. This may just be the DVD transfer but you can hear static and hiss mixed with parts of dialogue and several of the combat scenes leave much to be desired. At some parts things get very very quiet in the midst of a crossfire or almost all sound just suddenly stops...and it's very odd. Plus, the 5.1 surround is barely noticable at all.

  This is not to say the film doesn't have it's redeemable qualities. As I said, the music is first rate. The cinematography is phenomenal. And Willem Defoe is perfectly on target (sorry for the pun).

  All in all, I wanted to enjoy this film. I tried so hard. But it just didn't strike me as anything spectacular.
  
  

• Overrated
  By ATLZ3GS1UMK2Y on 2002-04-03
  Oliver Stone's PLATOON is, quite frankly, only so-so. The acting was nothing to get excited over, save for Willem Dafoe (maybe). But then again, with characters that simplistic and underdeveloped, the actors didn't have much to work with. For example, Charlie Sheen's character Chris states that he dropped out of college and enlisted because he felt it unjust that only the poor were forced to fight. That's it. No development, no further reinforcement or motivation, no illustration of how he was raised in a moral family. The viewer is just to take his word. I'm sorry, but flat characters with underdeveloped motivations are a sign of a poor script. (Oh, for those of you used to Oliver Stone movies, let me hold your hand: poor script=poor movie).

  Moreover, the contrast between the "good" sergeant and the "bad" sergeant are childishly simplistic--hell, Stone should have given Dafoe a white hat and Berenger a black one and spared us the hackneyed dialogue. The musical score is too melodramatic, and he depicts the Vietnamese as, for the most part, faceless killers. In short, Stone's PLATOON is insultingly manipulative in a cheap, didactic way. Wait a minute, that sounds like EVERY Stone movie.

  Two redeeming qualities: the "do the village" scene is quite good, simply because its the only well-executed psychological examination of the soldiers and it more even-handedly portrays the Vietnamese; also, Stone does an excellent job portraying life as a grunt. Any vets out there, I thank you. Sure, there are a lot of explosions and intense fighting scenes, but that does not make a good movie, let alone a good war film. Come on people, use your minds critically. If you're looking for good war flicks, check out PATTON and APOCALYPSE NOW instead. They're intelligent, honest, and original.
  
  

• Disappointment
  By ATQTE464YAZM1 on 2003-10-02
  I had heard so many great things about this movie. When I finally saw it, however, I could not make much of it.

  The film has every Vietnam war film cliche in the book. The new recruit, the crazy commander, the rape, the pillaging, the final showdown where most of the character deaths happen...and I found it predictable in a lot of parts. Not to mention the plenty of inaccuracies found through out - the uniforms, the dialogue, the weaponry, the fact William Defoe gets blown away in equipment that should have protected him, then comes back as if he's OK.

  There was one point in the movie that I liked. In the final scene, Oliver Stone put himself in the movie playing a Colonel. Then a suicide soldier of the VietCong throws himself into the HQ and blows himself up, killing everyone inside. That gave me some pleasure...
  
  

• cuss kill
  By A1CWR0T9HU122J on 2005-07-31
  Cuss, kill, cuss, get high, cuss, get killed, cuss, kill, cuss, get high, cuss, get killed ... That's it. Sorry for giving away the plot.
  
  
• A Significant Improvement over the previous Special Edition
  By A1UD041RQ558RL on 2006-03-21
  The 20th Anniversary DVD of Platoon has not yet been released in this country, but it was released last month in England as the "Platoon: Ultimate Edition". As I own this disc, I will review it here. My sources tell me that the forthcoming US disc will be no different.
  
  I will not debate the merits of the film here. It is polarizing and you either like it or despise it. Instead, I will focus on whether or not it is worth upgrading to this version. In a word: YES. The new High Def transfer is a significant improvement over the previous edition, with a lot of dirt removed digitally, and much more saturated, yet cooler colors. This new color palette, which more heavily favors blues and greens, really suits the jungle sequences well.
  
  But the real reason to upgraded is the utterly incredible DTS track. The previous 5.1 mix had very little going on in the surrounds. This one has a very aggressive surround track, which really puts you right in the middle of the war!
  
  The two new featurettes, "One War, Many Stories" and "Preparation For The Nam" are good, but don't add a lot to what is already in the great "Tour of the Inferno" documentary and two existing audio commentaries. I would like to point out that it appears that none of the extras from the previous special edition have been left off of this one, so there's no good reason to keep the old disc. But at the end of the day, the new 5.1 mix is the biggest reason to buy this disc. The other stuff is just a bonus.
  
  
• Trash
  By A2W5Q5EXUIJY31 on 2006-07-16
  This movie is typical Hollywood anti-war, anti-military, anti-American trash. The "show biz" liberals, aided and abetted by their ideological cousins, the left-wing TV news moguls, have always sought to portray American soldiers in Viet Nam as baby-killing, drug-crazed monsters. This movie is typical of that ilk. If you want a more balanced view of the men who fought in that terrible war, buy the DVD of "We Were Soldiers."--a much better, and far more honest, film.
  
  
• Landmark Vietnam War film
  By A31ARSC1LGY8WK on 2007-10-17
  "Platoon" is Writer/Director Oliver Stone's highly autobiographical exploration of the Vietnam War.
  
  The film is a landmark in America coming to terms with this controversial war. The film was made on a low budget as Hollywood would not touch this project. It's ironic then that the huge success of this film sparked a plethora of "Vietnam" movies and TV series of varying quality including Stone's own brilliant "Born on the Fourth of July".
  
  The low budget nature of the film helps to give it an even greater sense of realism. It has a gritty authenticity and Stone certainly succeeds in making us understand what it was like to be a "grunt" down in the mud.
  
  "Platoon" is beautifully shot and the battle sequences are brilliantly staged. It is not without its faults - some of the dialogue is a bit over the top and Charlie Sheen was perhaps not the best choice for the lead part - but these are relatively minor quibbles.
  
  Altogether this is an extraordinary achievement by Stone.
  
  The "Anniversary" DVD contains wonderful commentaries by Stone and Dale Dye - the technical adviser on the film who also has a small but crucial part as a commanding officer - who both served in Vietnam.
  
  

• Apocalypse Now - The Complete Dossier (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
• The Deer Hunter
• Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition)
• Full Metal Jacket
• Hamburger Hill