Film Analysis of Platoon
Film Analysis of Platoon
Platoon tells the story of Vietnam from the point of view of a young, naive soldier, Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen). The film showed its viewers about war, and what it really was. Hot the dramatized part you see on TV, but the hell that it really was. Oliver Stone, the director of the movie, was actually a soldier during Vietnam. So parts of the storyline and the general idea behind the film were based on some of his personal experiences there. Sergeant Elias is portrayed as a caring leader who likes to use drugs to get away from the war. His enemy in the platoon, Sergeant Barnes (Tom Beringer), is portrayed as a fighting machine that will stop at nothing to get the job done. When you watch this movie, you see that Barnes will do everything and anything to survive. Barnes has much hubris. He thinks he can do anything.
The story is narrated by Chris Taylor and begins with his arrival in Vietnam. The first thing he sees is rows of bodies being readied for shipment back to the U.S. He sees soldiers giving him the “stare” thinking that Chris has no idea what he is up against in Vietnam. He finds out that other soldiers don't associate with the newcomers because they haven't put in their time. After Chris has been there a while, other soldiers advise him to count the days he's put in, not how many he has to go. That way it won't seem so long. After only a week, Chris realizes he's made a horrible mistake by volunteering. Taylor goes through perpetia and wishes that he hadn’t have come to Vietnam. .
During a patrol, a competition develops between Barnes and Elias which causes two factions to form in the platoon. This is the rising action of the movie. The two factions in the platoon argue about everything and you know that something is going to happen between the two leaders, Barnes and Elias. The platoon is obdurate and ignores the fact that the platoon being in two different parts will not help them win the war. This leads to the final confrontation.
The platoon is sent out on a mission to search and destroy any enemy they find. During the patrol, they come up against heavy enemy forces. During the battle...