Platoon

Oliver Stone's breakthrough as a director, Platoon is a brutally realistic look at a young soldier's tour of duty in Vietnam. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) is a college student who quits school to volunteer for the Army in the late '60s. He's shipped off to Vietnam, where he serves with a culturally ...more

Platoon is remembered for the striking realism with which it recreated the Vietnam War from the viewpoint of the U.S. soldier. At stark contrast are the story's two protagonists, played by Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe, the latter at peace with himself despite the hostilities around him, the former representing the corruption of ideals that defined American participation in the war. The film established Oliver Stone as a major director and boosted the careers of several cast members, including ...more