A novice recruit in Vietnam finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.
Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) leaves his university studies to enlist in combat duty in Vietnam in 1967.
Once he is 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 harbouring 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.
Informed by director Oliver Stone's personal experiences in Vietnam, ‘Platoon’ forgoes easy sermonising in favour of a harrowing, ground-level view of war, bolstered by no-holds-barred performances from Sheen and Dafoe.
Winner of four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.