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Platoon

Play trailer Poster for Platoon R 1986 2h 0m War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 122 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) 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 (Tom Berenger), who believes nearby villagers are harboring Viet Cong soldiers, and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe), who has a more sympathetic view of the locals, ends up pitting the soldiers against each other as well as against the enemy.
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Platoon

Platoon

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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.

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Critics Reviews

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David Denby New York Magazine/Vulture 08/23/2022
This is a great American movie -- easily the most powerful film of the year. Go to Full Review Marsha McCreadie Arizona Republic 08/23/2022
I didn't take a single note during the screening of Platoon: It's that engrossing, that overwhelming. Go to Full Review Eleanor Ringel Cater Atlanta Journal-Constitution 08/23/2022
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. Go to Full Review Christopher Lloyd The Film Yap May 26
5/5
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. Go to Full Review Mark Johnson Awards Daily 06/14/2023
One of the most visceral and authentic war films ever made. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 10/11/2022
3.5/4
Platoon may not be the best Vietnam war film ever made -- I still prefer both Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket by a healthy margin -- but I wouldn't care to argue with any veteran who states that it's the most honest depiction of that insane skirmish. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Larry K @Larrymoses39 Jan 15 Willem Dafoe is awesome. Insane war sequences See more shane o @Shanes_DVD_Shack Dec 17 A harrrowing watch form beginning to end. Some scenes in this film will haunt me for life. It’s what I feel a realistic depictions of the horrors of war are. See more Jack F @MovieFan111 Nov 19 I loved this movie. When you think "war movie", you think either Full Metal Jacket, or Platoon. That one part where he was dancing on one leg was sooo disturbing. You don't forget seeing that. See more Nicholas t @nicktalbert2025 Oct 31 platoon is the greatest war movie ever made the movie is action packed lots of war drama action tears of joy best war movie best action bestdrama best actors best director great sound best bombs best scenes and best 80s movie ever made See more Daniel C Oct 4 rewatched this movie after not seeing it for 25 years i can gladly say after the digitilization its even better now. one of the greatest war movies ever, most of the chars came to be great actors, i guess that's says it all. See more Daniel N Sep 23 One of the greatest war movies ever made. See more Read all reviews
Platoon

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Cast & Crew

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Oliver Stone

Director

Tom Berenger

Staff Sgt. Bob Barnes

Willem Dafoe

Sgt. Elias Grodin

Charlie Sheen

Pvt. Chris Taylor

Forest Whitaker

Big Harold

Francesco Quinn

Rhah

Movie Clips

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Platoon

Platoon: Official Clip - Pecker Hard, Powder Dry Platoon: Official Clip - Pecker Hard, Powder Dry 3:02 Platoon: Official Clip - Retribution Platoon: Official Clip - Retribution 4:16 Platoon: Official Clip - I Am Reality Platoon: Official Clip - I Am Reality 2:06 Platoon: Official Clip - The Death of Sgt. Elias Platoon: Official Clip - The Death of Sgt. Elias 3:09 Platoon: Official Clip - Elias is Betrayed Platoon: Official Clip - Elias is Betrayed 2:09 Platoon: Official Clip - Burning the Village Platoon: Official Clip - Burning the Village 3:05 Platoon: Official Clip - We're Gonna Lose This War Platoon: Official Clip - We're Gonna Lose This War 1:13 Platoon: Official Clip - Barnes Crosses the Line Platoon: Official Clip - Barnes Crosses the Line 2:40 Platoon: Official Clip - Hell Is the Impossibility of Reason Platoon: Official Clip - Hell Is the Impossibility of Reason 1:30 Platoon: Official Clip - Dance! Platoon: Official Clip - Dance! 2:04 View more videos

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Platoon

Platoon (1986) Platoon (1986) Platoon (1986) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) 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 (Tom Berenger), who believes nearby villagers are harboring Viet Cong soldiers, and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe), who has a more sympathetic view of the locals, ends up pitting the soldiers against each other as well as against the enemy.
Director
Oliver Stone
Producer
Arnold Kopelson
Screenwriter
Oliver Stone
Distributor
Orion Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
Hemdale Film Corporation [us]
Rating
R
Genre
War, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 19, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 2, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$138.5M
Runtime
2h 0m
Sound Mix
Surround
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