Platoon (1986)

pla•toon | noun |

a subdivision of a company of soldiers, usually forming a tactical division that is commanded by a lieutenant and divided into several sections.

Charlie Sheen is the young, idealistic recruit Chris Taylor who narrates the story while writing letters to his grandmother back home.

Platoon is an Oscar-winning war movie based on director Oliver Stone's personal experiences in Vietnam. Now, I have no idea how accurate - or autobiographical - this movie is, but I found it to be a thoroughly convincing war movie. Right now, I'm tempted to say it's the best war movie ever made. I'm also tempted to say it's one of the best movies I've ever seen.

In Platoon, Charlie Sheen plays Chris Taylor, a young idealist who leaves college to serve in Vietnam. However, Chris' "crusader" spirit is quickly challenged by the brutalities of jungle combat. However, the jungle and the North Vietnamese Army aren't the only enemies Chris must face. Soon, he finds himself caught in a "civil war" inside his platoon. Leading one side is Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger), a brutal soldier who inspires some of his platoon with his military exploits and relentless dedication to "the mission."

Tom Berenger is Platoon's "Captain Ahab"-like Sgt. Barnes

Willem Dafoe plays the pot-smoking humanitarian Sgt. Elias.

One the other side is Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe), an excellent soldier who no longer believes in "the mission." His only dedication is to protecting the lives of his men. When he catches Barnes murdering Vietnamese villagers suspected of aiding the enemy, he reports him to his superiors. However, military trials take time and there's a war on. So, until a trial can be held, Barnes and Elias are expected to work side by side, leading their platoon in combat. But with a court martial looming on the horizon for Barnes, a rift spreads through the platoon and one by one the soldiers begin to take sides.

And in the jungle, anything can happen...

I'm currently taking a class on American War literature, and one of the things I've discovered is that the trauma, bitterness, and disillusionment associated with the Vietnam War were nothing new. Soldiers had emerged from World War I, World War II, and Korea with similar feelings. However, it wasn't until Vietnam that the soldiers' attitude towards the war matched society's attitude. Unfortunately, in its eagerness to forget about Vietnam, society forgot a lot of brave men who made horrible sacrifices only to return home to nothing. That's truly shameful...