Title: Platoon
Format: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray
MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Written by: Oliver Stone
Starring: Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Keith David, Forest Whitaker, Francesco Quinn, Kevin Dillon, John C. McGinley
Studio: 20th Century Fox, MGM
Film Rating: 
Blu-ray Rating:
Review by: Bill Jones
The Film
Oliver Stone’s Platoon has become a modern war film classic, so there’s not much else left to say about it. Telling the tale of a naïve American soldier’s (Charlie Sheen) descent in the horrors of Vietnam, it was one of the first films to come out of the Vietnam Conflict, and a personal tale for Oliver Stone, who himself was faced with question of morality with the things he saw overseas.
It’s an amazingly shot film with a cast of actors who have gone on to become major stars, and the core issues it deals with hold true today. But I’ve always found it to be fairly formulaic for such a groundbreaking war film, and for every iconic image there’s a line of dialogue or scene that doesn’t quite hold up today without a little bit of cheese. Still, Platoon has earned its classic status, and deserves to be seen in its new format.
The Blu-ray
The Blu-ray cleans up the video, though not to perfection, but I suggest that’s actually a benefit for Platoon, with its gritty nature. It also sounds great, but again not completely utilizing the capabilities of Blu-ray.
This 25th Anniversary edition comes jam-packed with special features — two audio commentaries, deleted scenes with optional commentary, documentaries, vignettes, theatrical trailers, TV spots and a featurette — but we’ve seen all, if not most of it in previous editions. And with 25 years behind it, it’s a shame Platoon doesn’t offer more in the way of retrospectives or even a cast reunion. Though, one fun thing to listen for is comments about Charlie Sheen’s mindset, now that we’re hearing them with a new perspective.
For more info, foxconnect.com
Pads & Panels received a copy of the Blu-ray courtesy of the studio for review purposes.
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