The Film
Back in the 1980s there was a wave of Vietnam War films - jump started by 1979's Apocalypse Now. Enough time had passed that some of the wounds healed and Hollywood decided it was time to tell the story of America's most controversial war -- to date at that point anyway. The quality of the films varied greatly, but director Oliver Stone, whose persona is no less controversial than the subject matter of his films, can be credited with one of the better ones. Platoon, Stone's 1986 outing, chronicles a soldier's tour of duty from the perspective of Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) a green and naïve soldier cast in a dangerous world he's truly not ready for. The film is heavy on style, but not short on substance, with enough imagery and symbolism to keep film buffs and armchair critics debating its meaning for years to come.
Platoon also offers a look back not only at the conflict in Vietnam, but moreover at a who's who list of featured and supporting stars, 25 years laer. Tom Beregner and Willem Dafoe play rival sergeants and thus serve as the good vs. bad cop to Sheen's middle ground, while Kevin Dillion, Forest Whitaker, John C. McGinley and Johnny Depp round out this band of brothers in arms. The film is unique as war movies go, for it is really just about the daily grind rather than focusing on a particular battle, thus reminding viewers that for every soldier on the ground it was all about counting down the days until they could go home.
The Picture
This film is heavy on the greens, from the soldiers fatigues to the lush green jungle -- not to mention the greenness of Sheen's character. The 1080p 1.85:1 transfer doesn't show its age much, and while there is some grain and some softness at points this film looks fantastic in Blu-ray. It doesn't have the visual clarity of more recent releases but compared to the DVD version, new details emerge here in HD. The Blu-ray really lets viewers see the subtlty of the dirt on the soldier's faces, while nighttime scenes come alive like never before. It is also worth comparing Sheen 25 years ago - he can claim he has Tiger blood all he wants, but the close-ups of his face 25 years ago suggest otherwise.
The sound is extremely dynamic, with some scenes overpoweringly loud and other moments of dialog quite soft. The battle sequences make good use of the DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, but the rest of the film is a mixed bag. The jungle lacks the ambient sounds of nature, or at least a realistic illusion of nature. It is obvious that the background noises were added for effect, such as when Taylor is keeping watch as the Viet Cong advance. The tension is there but more could have been done to create a discrete soundscape. As with many Vietnam films music plays its own role and the choice of songs isn't bad and for the most part fits with the story. But at times the music blares a bit much. However, throughout the film dialog is generally clear and intelligible. Thus the sound is good but hardly ever reaches reference levels.
The Extras
The bonus features are enough to get fans of the film to sign up for another tour of duty with the Blu-ray. This package includes audio commentary tracks from both Oliver Stone as well as military advisor Dale Dye -- but wouldn't it have been great to get Sheen during this Violent Torpedo tour to interject on this one? Deleted and extended scenes are included, although those are in standard definition and seem to be nothing new that wasn't previously seen on the DVD. The discs also provide plenty of additional material, notably the three-part feature "Flashback to Platoon," plus "One War, Many Stories," "Preparing for 'Nam," and "Caput & the 7th Fleet," as well as "Dye Training Method." More fascinating still is that this includes a segment called "Gordon Gekko" and how the Wall Street character was brainstormed while this one was being made. Finally the package includes TV spots, a theatrical trailer and DVD copy of the film.
Final Thoughts
Platoon is not the definitive Vietnam film -- it's far from perfect -- but provides a very powerful look at the conflict in South East Asia from the perspective of the soldiers in day-to-day life. This is as much a credit to the cast as to Stone's directing. The Blu-ray offers a few new gems, while presenting the film the best it has looked and sounded to date.
Product Details
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