The four-time Oscar-winning war film Platoon is set to air on BBC Two tonight at 10pm. Widely hailed as one of the greatest war films ever made, the 1986 epic is the first Hollywood production to be both written and directed by a Vietnam War veteran.
A harrowing portrayal of combat
Written and directed by Oliver Stone, a Vietnam War veteran, Platoon offers an intimate and harrowing portrayal of the brutal reality of ground combat. It is the opening instalment in Stone's trilogy of Vietnam War films, followed by Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993).
The film 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.
Story and critical acclaim
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 harboring 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 19 December 1986, becoming a box-office phenomenon with more than $138 million domestically across the US and Canada from a modest $6 million production budget. Shot on location in the Philippines during February 1986 over a 54-day period, it secured four of its eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for Stone, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.
Audience and critical reception
With a 93% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has resonated deeply with viewers. 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 audience review says: "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." One viewer posted on IMDb claiming Platoon was '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 been similarly impressed, with one writing: "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." Another reviewer said: "One of the most visceral and authentic war films ever made. It's a powerful, painful, must-see film -- an impassioned and riveting dispatch from the front that's at once a battle cry and a lamentation."
Platoon broadcasts on BBC Two tonight, September 27, at 10pm.
