I’m not the biggest fan of Oliver Stone, although I do appreciate that he has directed some excellent movies over the years, several of which I’ve found to be exceptional. I therefore can’t really explain why it took me so long to get around to watching 'Platoon', one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the eighties, and the winner of four Academy Awards in 1986, including a Best Director Oscar for Stone. There have been many movies made about the Vietnam War, some of which are very good and some not so good. 'Platoon' definitely falls into the first category. Although not based on a true story, Oliver Stone does draw on ...  Read the complete review

This review is for the Ultimate Collectors Edition DVD. Platoon is a film about the Vietnam war. It follows the story of Chris Taylor who was a rich boy who decided to volunteer for the army when he saw it was only the poor boys who were being sent out there. He thought this was wrong so wanted to make a change. The story is told through letters from Chris to his Grandma back home. The story is by Oliver Stone who fought in the war and he wanted to make a film about how it really was our there. The film is very bloody and violent which you would expect from a war film. I think they were definitely trying to make you see what it ...  Read the complete review

I didn't watch platoon when it first came out way back in 1986 but watched it recently after watching a few other Vietnam related movies and it was pretty impressive but again quite a harrowing account. There have been so many films on the subject I thought it might be just another one that would add to the list but this was very moving and seen through the eyes of a young soldier. For me of all the war movies I've watched this remains one of the most powerful in my opinion. Directed by Oliver Stone it is one of his most complete and accomplished works over the years. This was the first of Oliver Stone's 'Vietnam War Trilogy' and for me was the ...  Read the complete review

Whenever this had been on TV and hubby said he wanted to watch it I said no as it really didn't appeal tome but after seeing a trailer for it on a recent DVD which we watched I thought that it did actually look quite good. I managed to find this DVD in Tesco on my last visit so I picked it up for him. The film is about Chris who volunteered for the US Army and ended up serving in Vietnam. He is a new recruit when he arrives there and some of the men don't like him. He is finding it hard as he is given the toughest and dirtiest jobs to do but he manages to get them done and soon earns the respect of the men. Chris soon fits in with the men and gets invited to ...  Read the complete review

note: also appears in part on The Student Room and Flixster Platoon is an extremely powerful film about the Vietnam and is frequently regarded as the very best war films ever made. Perhaps what really makes it so powerful is that its writer and director, Oliver Stone, was actually a soldier in Vietnam, meaning that he's able to better avoid romanticism and sensationalism than any other director that has made a film about the subject. This is gritty, visceral filmmaking that's topped with a slew of career-best performances, and of course, stunning writing and direction as usual from Stone himself. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) is a young man who has ...  Read the complete review