Oliver Stone's Oscar-winning Vietnam War epic Platoon, hailed by critics and audiences as one of the greatest war films ever made, airs on BBC Two tonight at 10pm. The 1986 film is the first Hollywood production to be both written and directed by a Vietnam War veteran.
A Landmark War Film
Platoon was written and directed by Oliver Stone, a Vietnam War veteran. It is the opening instalment in a trilogy of Vietnam War films by Stone, followed by Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993).
The war drama stars Charlie Sheen as Chris Taylor, alongside an ensemble cast including Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Johnny Depp, Kevin Dillon, Forest Whitaker, Francesco Quinn, John C McGinley, Richard Edson, Keith David, Reggie Johnson, Mark Moses, Chris Pedersen and Tony Todd.
Plot and Production
The official synopsis reads: "Chris Taylor leaves his university studies to enlist in combat duty in Vietnam in 1967. Once he's on the ground in the middle of battle, his idealism fades. Infighting in his unit between Staff Sergeant Barnes, who believes nearby villagers are harbouring Viet Cong soldiers, and Sergeant Elias, who has a more sympathetic view of the locals, ends up pitting the soldiers against each other as well as against the enemy."
Platoon arrived in cinemas on December 19, 1986, earning more than $138 million in the US and Canada against a $6 million production budget. Shot on location in the Philippines during February 1986 over 54 days, the film won four of its eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for Stone, Best Sound and Best Film Editing.
Critical and Audience Acclaim
With a 93% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Platoon has resonated with viewers for decades. One fan said: "Platoon is the best Vietnam War movie ever made. It captures the grittiness of the war through its characters, atmosphere, and narrative. The characters are flawed, which makes them all the more human, and the dialogue feels very natural. The film is like a time capsule from that era, especially in the authenticity of its details."
Another viewer wrote: "A harrowing watch from beginning to end. Some scenes in this film will haunt me for life. It's what I feel a realistic depiction of the horrors of war are." A further fan noted: "A masterful and emotionally charged war movie about the Vietnam War, Platoon brings many young actors' careers into the light as well as several veteran actors. Platoon has made its way to the very top of the convoluted category of war movies with its storytelling and its revolutionary moral compass."
One review on IMDB declares Platoon better than Saving Private Ryan: "This is a great movie and possibly the greatest war movie of all time, yes maybe even better then Saving Private Ryan. If you like war movies then this is a must see." Critics have echoed this praise, with one saying: "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."
Platoon broadcasts on BBC Two tonight, September 27, at 10pm.
