Platoon

Critics Consensus

Informed by director Oliver Stone's personal experiences in Vietnam, Platoon forgoes easy sermonizing in favor of a harrowing, ground-level view of war, bolstered by no-holds-barred performances from Charlie Sheen and Willem Dafoe.

88%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 66

93%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 239,800

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Movie Info

Oliver Stone's autobiographical Vietnam War film stars Charlie Sheen as Chris Taylor, a neophyte soldier who finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good (Willem Dafoe) and the other evil (Tom Berenger).
  • Rating:
    R (adult situations/language, violence)
  • Genre:
    Action & Adventure, Drama
  • Directed By:
    Oliver Stone
  • Written By:
    Oliver Stone, Richard Boyle
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Orion Pictures

Cast

Charlie Sheen
as Chris
Willem Dafoe
as Sgt. Elias
Tom Berenger
as Sgt. Barnes
Forest Whitaker
as Big Harold
Francesco Quinn
as Rhah
John C. McGinley
as Sgt. O'Neill
Robert Edson
as Sal
Kevin Dillon
as Bunny
Reggie Johnson
as Junior
Keith David
as King
Johnny Depp
as Lerner
David Neidorf
as Tex
Mark Moses
as Lt. Wolfe
Richard Edson
as Sal
Li Mai Thao
as Rape Victim
Chris Pedersen
as Crawford
Corkey Ford
as Manny
Chris Pederson
as Crawford
Corey Glover
as Francis
Matthew Westfall
as Terrified Soldier
Bob Orwig
as Gardner
Tony Todd
as Warren
Kevin Eshelman
as Morehouse
Adam J. Glover
as Sanderson
Ivan Kane
as Tony
Paul Sanchez
as Doc
James Terry McIlvain
as Ace
Dale Dye
as Capt. Harris
Peter Hicks
as Parker
Bernardo Manalili
as Village Chief
Than Rogers
as Village Chief's Wife
Basile Achara
as Flash
Steve Barredo
as Fu Sheng
Li Thi Van
as Village Chief's Daughter
Chris Castillejo
as Rodriguez
Clarisa Ortacio
as Old Woman
Andrew B. Clark
as Tubbs
Romy Sevilla
as One-Legged Man
Mathew Westfall
as Terrified Soldier
Nick Nicholson
as Mechanized Soldier
Warren McLean
as Mechanized Soldier
Oliver Stone
as Officer in Bunker
Ron Barracks
as Medic
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Critic Reviews for Platoon

All Critics (66) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (8)

  • Although Platoon is not the easiest film to watch, it is one of the best at reminding us that the cinema is not always interested in evading or distorting history. Sometimes it tells the truth.

    April 26, 2018 | Full Review…

    Michael Blowen

    Boston Globe
    Top Critic

  • This film is an act of courage. Stone, the gutsy writer-director, records in a devastating barrage of images the relentless horror and the senseless carnage experienced by far too many Americans in Vietnam.

    February 22, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

    Kathleen Carroll

    New York Daily News
    Top Critic

  • Stone's strongest suit, however, isn't so much realism as it is his way of blending immediacy and insight.

    February 22, 2015 | Full Review…

    Jay Boyar

    Orlando Sentinel
    Top Critic

  • There are images in Platoon so powerful that they seem, rather than simply imprinted on celluloid, to have been burned into memory.

    February 24, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

    Dave Kehr

    Chicago Tribune
    Top Critic

  • Precisely because Stone forces you to experience a grunt's tunnel vision and rage, Platoon is a film of inspiring empathy and awesome force. Curiously, that same tunnelvision in the end compromises Platoon.

    February 24, 2014 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Carrie Rickey

    Philadelphia Inquirer
    Top Critic

  • This is movie-making with a zealot's fervor.

    February 19, 2013 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…

    Sheila Benson

    Los Angeles Times
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (66)

Audience Reviews for Platoon

  • Aug 15, 2017
    Platoon is so much more than just your average war film. This is actually rather intelligent, both in its plot and technical execution. It's the Vietnam War, we follow a platoon of US soldiers as they attempt to wipe out the enemy. The question that this film raises is: who really is the enemy? You have the conflict of the war itself (America against Vietnam) but within the platoon is a conflict for authority. Split between what is right and what is wrong, the moral implications of this war have taken effect on several soldiers as they question their choices. This was a smart element to include within the plot, it was easier to establish character development and build some tension. The majority of the characters were sufficiently developed and their personalities had charisma. This was mostly down to the great cast. Willem Dafoe was easily the best performance, Tom Berenger was also decent and the heated chemistry between them was well conveyed. Charlie Sheen however, didn't work for me. His acting ability consisted of monotonous dialogue delivery and shouting, perhaps he was overpowered by the rest of the great cast? I don't know, just felt meh. Didn't help that his biggest battle was with nature...we're talking ants, leeches and other insects. Obviously, animals love abit of Sheen. Oliver Stone's direction was solid, very realistic and gritty. The makeup effects were practical, the wounds and blown up limbs looked pretty damn realistic. A standout scene was the raiding of the Vietnamese village. This was the turning point where actually the American side were perceived as the antagonists, clearly communicating with our inner moral compasses. Effective, very effective. This is easily one of the best war films I've seen and winning Best Picture was fully justified.
    Luke A Super Reviewer
  • Jul 18, 2016
    5/04/2018 - With masterful performances and cinematography, Platoon is probably the best Vietnam war movie ever made. An absolute masterpiece.
    Peter B Super Reviewer
  • Feb 18, 2015
    Platoon is the landmark definition of a war film. Pulse-pounding sequences stacked on well-performed portrayal of soldiers (Sheen, Berenger & Dafoe) as well as a couple of heart-wrenching scenes that would be somewhat difficult to view. The film is Oliver Stone's most significant to date, especially since it's based off his own personal experience in the Vietnam War. 4/5
    Eugene B Super Reviewer
  • Feb 06, 2014
    Oliver Stone's take on Vietnam is good. It just pales in comparison to earlier films like Apocalypse Now and the Deer Hunter. It makes you wonder why the same Vietnam theme is explored again and again and again from the same angle. This one would have been more highly considered if it were the definitive Vietnam epic.
    John B Super Reviewer
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