list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Platoon on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Platoon/26856/default.aspx Title: Platoon
Year: 1986
Director: Oliver Stone
Plot: Oliver Stone's breakthrough as a director, Platoon is a brutally realistic look at a young soldier's tour of duty in Vietnam. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) is a college student who quits school to volunteer for the Army in the late '60s. He's shipped off to Vietnam, where he serves with a culturally diverse group of fellow soldiers under two men who lead the platoon: Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger), whose facial scars are a mirror of the violence and corruption of his soul, and Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe), who maintains a Zen-like calm in the jungle and fights with both personal and moral courage even though he no longer believes in the war. After a few weeks "in country," Taylor begins to see the naïveté of his views of the war, especially after a quick search for enemy troops devolves into a round of murder and rape. Unlike Hollywood's first wave of Vietnam movies (including The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, and Coming Home), Platoon is a grunts-eye view of the war, touching on moral issues but focusing on the men who fought the battles and suffered the wounds. In this sense, it resembles older war movies more than its Vietnam peers, as it mixes familiar elements of onscreen battle with small realistic details: bugs, jungle rot, exhaustion, C-rations, marijuana, and counting the days before you go home. This mix of traditional war movie elements with a contemporary sensibility won Platoon four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, and a reputation as one of the definitive modern war films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 42
Number of Lists: 51
Number of blog posts: 3
Number of discussion threads: 7
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 12 May 2009 03:53:35 GMTPlatoon1986Oliver Stone<a href="/players/P___112907/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Oliver Stone</a>'s breakthrough as a director, Platoon is a brutally realistic look at a young soldier's tour of duty in Vietnam. Chris Taylor (<a href="/players/P____65046/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Charlie Sheen</a>) is a college student who quits school to volunteer for the Army in the late '60s. He's shipped off to Vietnam, where he serves with a culturally diverse group of fellow soldiers under two men who lead the platoon: Sgt. Barnes (<a href="/players/P_____5539/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Tom Berenger</a>), whose facial scars are a mirror of the violence and corruption of his soul, and Sgt. Elias (<a href="/players/P____16547/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Willem Dafoe</a>), who maintains a Zen-like calm in the jungle and fights with both personal and moral courage even though he no longer believes in the war. After a few weeks "in country," Taylor begins to see the naïveté of his views of the war, especially after a quick search for enemy troops devolves into a round of murder and rape. Unlike Hollywood's first wave of Vietnam movies (including <a href=/films/8589/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Deer Hunter</a>, <a href=/films/1555/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Apocalypse Now</a>, and <a href=/films/6788/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Coming Home</a>), Platoon is a grunts-eye view of the war, touching on moral issues but focusing on the men who fought the battles and suffered the wounds. In this sense, it resembles older war movies more than its Vietnam peers, as it mixes familiar elements of onscreen battle with small realistic details: bugs, jungle rot, exhaustion, C-rations, marijuana, and counting the days before you go home. This mix of traditional war movie elements with a contemporary sensibility won Platoon four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, and a reputation as one of the definitive modern war films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide42Tag Target (>10)51373http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u34976p0pkv.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Platoon/26856/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Overrated_Movies/190/40434/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: bailey822
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 2/12/2009 9:52:49 PM
Body: I agree completely about Goodfellas. I love Scorsese, but this was no Godfather. Shakespeare in Love was another one that didn't exactly deserve all that critical acclaim...it was basically a romantic comedy with lots of expensive costumes. [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous. [/quote]
]]>Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:52:49 GMTbailey822Top 52/12/2009 9:52:49 PMI agree completely about Goodfellas. I love Scorsese, but this was no Godfather. Shakespeare in Love was another one that didn't exactly deserve all that critical acclaim...it was basically a romantic comedy with lots of expensive costumes. [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Overrated_Movies/190/39479/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: flair
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 1/13/2009 5:56:38 PM
Body: [quote user="pippin06"] [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous. [/quote] leeroy, I think you are harsh on Scorsese, and he didn't only make those three flicks prior to the Departed. In the land of overrated for Scorsese, I submit Gangs of New York and The Aviator. I hate them, and they were nominated a million times for a million awards (and were some in the long line of Scorsese's no-Oscar curse). Though, I totally agree with Gladiator (also doesn't hold up to repeat viewings) and Shakespeare in Love. I was hot when the latter won Best Picture thanks to the alpha-campaignig of the Weinsteins. Saving Private Ryan is a much better film, and I personally and generally prefer romances to war movies any day, but come on. And now I see why Shawshank might be considered overrated Ok, I concede on that point, but I'm with leeroy on Amelie. [/quote]
]]>Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:56:38 GMTflairTop 51/13/2009 5:56:38 PM[quote user="pippin06"] [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous. [/quote] leeroy, I think you are harsh on Scorsese, and he didn't only make those three flicks prior to the Departed. In the land of overrated for Scorsese, I submit Gangs of New York and The Aviator. I hate them, and they were nominated a million times for a million awards (and were some in the long line of Scorsese's no-Oscar curse). Though, I totally agree with Gladiator (also doesn't hold up to repeat viewings) and Shakespeare in Love. I was hot when the latter won Best Picture thanks to the alpha-campaignig of the Weinsteins. Saving Private Ryan is a much better film, and I personally and generally prefer romances to war movies any day, but come on. And now I see why Shawshank might be considered overrated Ok, I concede on that point, but I'm with leeroy on Amelie. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Overrated_Movies/190/36951/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/4/2008 1:43:16 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. [/quote] Of the three Juenet films I've seen, I've liked Amelie the least. My favorite by him is Delicatessen.[/quote] I luke Jeunet too, and Delicatessen is also my favorite. And I do think Amelie is a good movie, but the reason why I would agree that it is overrated is because every person who would normally never seen a foreign film ends up seeing Amelie somehow and and declares it their favorite foreign movie. If you look at the structure, it's really a foreign movie designed for American sensibilities in what they think a good foreign movie should be.
]]>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:43:16 GMTRisseladaTop 511/4/2008 1:43:16 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. [/quote] Of the three Juenet films I've seen, I've liked Amelie the least. My favorite by him is Delicatessen.[/quote] I luke Jeunet too, and Delicatessen is also my favorite. And I do think Amelie is a good movie, but the reason why I would agree that it is overrated is because every person who would normally never seen a foreign film ends up seeing Amelie somehow and and declares it their favorite foreign movie. If you look at the structure, it's really a foreign movie designed for American sensibilities in what they think a good foreign movie should be. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Overrated_Movies/190/36924/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/3/2008 10:59:21 PM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous. [/quote] leeroy, I think you are harsh on Scorsese, and he didn't only make those three flicks prior to the Departed. In the land of overrated for Scorsese, I submit Gangs of New York and The Aviator. I hate them, and they were nominated a million times for a million awards (and were some in the long line of Scorsese's no-Oscar curse). Though, I totally agree with Gladiator (also doesn't hold up to repeat viewings) and Shakespeare in Love. I was hot when the latter won Best Picture thanks to the alpha-campaignig of the Weinsteins. Saving Private Ryan is a much better film, and I personally and generally prefer romances to war movies any day, but come on. And now I see why Shawshank might be considered overrated Ok, I concede on that point, but I'm with leeroy on Amelie.
]]>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:59:21 GMTpippin06Top 511/3/2008 10:59:21 PM[quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous. [/quote] leeroy, I think you are harsh on Scorsese, and he didn't only make those three flicks prior to the Departed. In the land of overrated for Scorsese, I submit Gangs of New York and The Aviator. I hate them, and they were nominated a million times for a million awards (and were some in the long line of Scorsese's no-Oscar curse). Though, I totally agree with Gladiator (also doesn't hold up to repeat viewings) and Shakespeare in Love. I was hot when the latter won Best Picture thanks to the alpha-campaignig of the Weinsteins. Saving Private Ryan is a much better film, and I personally and generally prefer romances to war movies any day, but come on. And now I see why Shawshank might be considered overrated Ok, I concede on that point, but I'm with leeroy on Amelie. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Overrated_Movies/190/36918/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/3/2008 8:02:40 PM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. [/quote] Of the three Jeunet films I've seen, I've liked Amelie the least. My favorite by him is Delicatessen. I'll have to see Hamburger Hill. I think part of why I like Platoon so much is that I watched it with my dad when I was 13. I wonder if love of the film is a coming-of-age, nostalgia thing for a lot of dudes? Like someone insisting Little Monsters is great, but they haven't seen it in sixteen years. Wow, Scorsese the 2nd-most overrated director ever! I agree that Goodfellas and Casino are just good gangster movies at best, and The Departed knocks the lining out of 'em both. On the other hand, even though I don't love Taxi Driver--and I don't even particularly enjoy it--when I've watched it (twice), I've had this sensation that something new was happening. Like the "You talkin' to me scene," the date with Cybil Shepherd, the meal with Jodie Foster--there's something there for me, something raw and real and scary.
]]>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:02:40 GMTSkyPilotTop 511/3/2008 8:02:40 PM[quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. [/quote] Of the three Jeunet films I've seen, I've liked Amelie the least. My favorite by him is Delicatessen. I'll have to see Hamburger Hill. I think part of why I like Platoon so much is that I watched it with my dad when I was 13. I wonder if love of the film is a coming-of-age, nostalgia thing for a lot of dudes? Like someone insisting Little Monsters is great, but they haven't seen it in sixteen years. Wow, Scorsese the 2nd-most overrated director ever! I agree that Goodfellas and Casino are just good gangster movies at best, and The Departed knocks the lining out of 'em both. On the other hand, even though I don't love Taxi Driver--and I don't even particularly enjoy it--when I've watched it (twice), I've had this sensation that something new was happening. Like the "You talkin' to me scene," the date with Cybil Shepherd, the meal with Jodie Foster--there's something there for me, something raw and real and scary. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Overrated_Movies/190/36917/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/3/2008 6:19:24 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous.
]]>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:19:24 GMTleeroy711Top 511/3/2008 6:19:24 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] 3. Amelie [/quote] Boooooooooo!!! I love this one and everything else by Juenet. The rest of the list I can't disagree with but mine would look more like: 1. Platoon - Hamburger Hill was better........... trust me. 2. Goodfellas/Casino/Taxi Driver - I didn't really get into a Scorsese film until The Departed. These others were OK, but that's about it. If it weren't for Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese would be the most overrated director. 3. Shakespeare In Love - this was when I stopped watching or caring about the Oscars 4. Gladiator - see No. 3 - And I actually liked Black Hawk Down better for a Ridley Scott film. 5. Shawshank Redemption - This one was clever but c'mon. No. 1 on IMDB's top 250 list is just ridiculous. http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/13/28920.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/13/2008 5:23:40 AM
Body: I have a feeling this is one of those reviews I am going to get hate mail over, but I do not think that Platoon is a very good movie. Essentially a simplistic piece of propaganda, the film is too contrived and the characters too undeveloped to get into. This is the third film I have seen by Oliver Stone, and it's safe to say I am not going to be joining his fan club. The film is a sort of unofficial remake of All Quiet on the Western Front in Vietnam instead of World War One. The Lew Ayres part of the unassuming young man caught in the horrors of war is played by Charlie Sheen, as Private Chris Taylor. Unlike the rest of the grunts in the platoon, Taylor is not a poor draftee- he quit college and enlisted because he (correctly) thought the draft system was unfair. He regrets his choice almost immedaitley, as he finds Vietnam to be hell on earth. He is even denied the comaradie in a close-nit group of soldiers because of a "civil war" inside the platoon between the understanding Sergent Elias (Willem Dafoe) and psychotic Sergent Barnes (Tom Berenger). You read that right, Willem Dafoe does not play the psycho. Most of the film is an essentially plotless depiction of their experinces, with a moral conflict at the end. I think that the crucial problem with the movie is that it is so obvious in its simplistic message. Stone is content to say that war is hell and not go any further. This is also the message of the aforementioned All Queit, but that film had some appealing characters that the audince could identify with, and care about. Milestone's film also built up gradually, whereas this film stars at mach ten and keeps going. The problem is not so much that we don't belevie that events like this could have happend (Stone is a Vietnam vetran), but the movie never places these events in an intellecutal framework while still showing the horrors of the conflict, as Coppola did with Apacalyspe Now and Kubrick did with Full Metal Jacket, both of which I was considerably more moved by. I realize that I am in the minority on this one, and I a lot of people like this movie (it won the Oscar for the Best Picture of 1986). It may be the film that, for a soldier, most closely represents the Vietnam experince. But I anyway, could never get into it. There are lots of anti-war films out there, and many great ones, and for me, Platoon doesn't belong in their company. Platoon (1986)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 09:23:40 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/13/2008 5:23:40 AMI have a feeling this is one of those reviews I am going to get hate mail over, but I do not think that Platoon is a very good movie. Essentially a simplistic piece of propaganda, the film is too contrived and the characters too undeveloped to get into. This is the third film I have seen by Oliver Stone, and it's safe to say I am not going to be joining his fan club. The film is a sort of unofficial remake of All Quiet on the Western Front in Vietnam instead of World War One. The Lew Ayres part of the unassuming young man caught in the horrors of war is played by Charlie Sheen, as Private Chris Taylor. Unlike the rest of the grunts in the platoon, Taylor is not a poor draftee- he quit college and enlisted because he (correctly) thought the draft system was unfair. He regrets his choice almost immedaitley, as he finds Vietnam to be hell on earth. He is even denied the comaradie in a close-nit group of soldiers because of a "civil war" inside the platoon between the understanding Sergent Elias (Willem Dafoe) and psychotic Sergent Barnes (Tom Berenger). You read that right, Willem Dafoe does not play the psycho. Most of the film is an essentially plotless depiction of their experinces, with a moral conflict at the end. I think that the crucial problem with the movie is that it is so obvious in its simplistic message. Stone is content to say that war is hell and not go any further. This is also the message of the aforementioned All Queit, but that film had some appealing characters that the audince could identify with, and care about. Milestone's film also built up gradually, whereas this film stars at mach ten and keeps going. The problem is not so much that we don't belevie that events like this could have happend (Stone is a Vietnam vetran), but the movie never places these events in an intellecutal framework while still showing the horrors of the conflict, as Coppola did with Apacalyspe Now and Kubrick did with Full Metal Jacket, both of which I was considerably more moved by. I realize that I am in the minority on this one, and I a lot of people like this movie (it won the Oscar for the Best Picture of 1986). It may be the film that, for a soldier, most closely represents the Vietnam experince. But I anyway, could never get into it. There are lots of anti-war films out there, and many great ones, and for me, Platoon doesn't belong in their company. Platoon (1986) http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/5/8/28378.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 5/8/2008 6:00:38 PM
Body: I’ve always been conflicted by my hatred for war and my love for war films. But I can’t help being excited by cinematic combat. As Miguel Ferrer says in Hot Shots! Part Deux, “War … it’s fantastic!” Certainly his character is referring to the real-life action, but in a reflexive way he’s talking about war on film (he does break the diegetic space when he utters the statement, after all). And I have to say, in that context, no war film in recent years has been as fantastic as Nick Broomfield’s Battle for Haditha, which opened in New York yesterday. The difficult thing about war films is that, despite often being exciting action movies, they’re about real, tragic situations, even if they’re fictional stories set in an actual war (the opening of Saving Private Ryan is of course the epitome of war films’ ability to be at the same time both affecting and awesome). Broomfield’s film has the additional difficulty of being about a real battle from a war that is still going on. And of course there’s that whole problem of Iraq War films being box office poison lately. But if the viewer is able to forget all that stuff, there’s a chance he or she will find Battle for Haditha totally exhilarating. The film presents a dramatization of the titular incident, in which a number of Iraqi civilians were killed by U.S. marines in a criminally retributive act following an IED attack on a military convoy. In a way, the film’s story parallels the massacre in Platoon, which was also based on a true event, only far more loosely. So, I wonder if Battle would be more popular with the critics (currently it has a low 44% approval on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences if it was similarly more fictionalized. Actually, Battle may be more fictionalized than it seems to be, but as it is shot somewhat like a documentary by a director well known as a documentarian, it’s easy to get the impression that it’s an accurate account of the incident. Of course, the documentary manner in which the film is shot is more relevant to the Iraq War, from which we’ve seen a surplus of great non-fiction films, than a Platoon-style dramatic war film would be. And like those documentaries, Battle smartly addresses the issues relating to the war, such as the damaged psychology of the soldiers and the cause-effect nature of retaliatory incidents like Haditha. Still, despite its difference in discourse and contexts, it may be enjoyed on the same level as fictional war films like Platoon and Saving Private Ryan (and others). And certainly there are other levels on which to appreciate Battle for Haditha. But I figure that people who appreciate war films for the action aren’t really being targeted, and so I feel it must be pointed out that this is indeed an awesome war film and not another depressing Iraq War film. OK, I guess it is both. And therefore it may be too soon to be taken as mere entertainment. But give it a few years (or a lot of years, depending on when the Iraq War ends), and it could be accepted as being as cool as other war film favorites. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 08 May 2008 22:00:38 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com5/8/2008 6:00:38 PMI’ve always been conflicted by my hatred for war and my love for war films. But I can’t help being excited by cinematic combat. As Miguel Ferrer says in Hot Shots! Part Deux, “War … it’s fantastic!” Certainly his character is referring to the real-life action, but in a reflexive way he’s talking about war on film (he does break the diegetic space when he utters the statement, after all). And I have to say, in that context, no war film in recent years has been as fantastic as Nick Broomfield’s Battle for Haditha, which opened in New York yesterday. The difficult thing about war films is that, despite often being exciting action movies, they’re about real, tragic situations, even if they’re fictional stories set in an actual war (the opening of Saving Private Ryan is of course the epitome of war films’ ability to be at the same time both affecting and awesome). Broomfield’s film has the additional difficulty of being about a real battle from a war that is still going on. And of course there’s that whole problem of Iraq War films being box office poison lately. But if the viewer is able to forget all that stuff, there’s a chance he or she will find Battle for Haditha totally exhilarating. The film presents a dramatization of the titular incident, in which a number of Iraqi civilians were killed by U.S. marines in a criminally retributive act following an IED attack on a military convoy. In a way, the film’s story parallels the massacre in Platoon, which was also based on a true event, only far more loosely. So, I wonder if Battle would be more popular with the critics (currently it has a low 44% approval on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences if it was similarly more fictionalized. Actually, Battle may be more fictionalized than it seems to be, but as it is shot somewhat like a documentary by a director well known as a documentarian, it’s easy to get the impression that it’s an accurate account of the incident. Of course, the documentary manner in which the film is shot is more relevant to the Iraq War, from which we’ve seen a surplus of great non-fiction films, than a Platoon-style dramatic war film would be. And like those documentaries, Battle smartly addresses the issues relating to the war, such as the damaged psychology of the soldiers and the cause-effect nature of retaliatory incidents like Haditha. Still, despite its difference in discourse and contexts, it may be enjoyed on the same level as fictional war films like Platoon and Saving Private Ryan (and others). And certainly there are other levels on which to appreciate Battle for Haditha. But I figure that people who appreciate war films for the action aren’t really being targeted, and so I feel it must be pointed out that this is indeed an awesome war film and not another depressing Iraq War film. OK, I guess it is both. And therefore it may be too soon to be taken as mere entertainment. But give it a few years (or a lot of years, depending on when the Iraq War ends), and it could be accepted as being as cool as other war film favorites. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/el_aaron/archive/2008/4/2/26884.aspx Post By: El_Aaron
Post To: El_Aaron Blog
Post Date: 4/2/2008 2:52:12 PM
Body: I have never cried over a film, except from this one. There were two such moments. The one in the village, and...I reckon you know!
]]>Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:52:12 GMTEl_AaronEl_Aaron Blog4/2/2008 2:52:12 PMI have never cried over a film, except from this one. There were two such moments. The one in the village, and...I reckon you know! http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_War_Films/190/6940/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: josephkuzma
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 4/12/2007 6:15:01 AM
Body: I agree with a lot of these picks (specifically Dr. Strangelove, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now) but I'm surprised that no one mentioned King Rat, Stalag 17 or Slaughterhouse Five. Maybe not specifically "war movies" but still war-related and still excellent filmmaking.
]]>Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:15:01 GMTjosephkuzmaTop 54/12/2007 6:15:01 AMI agree with a lot of these picks (specifically Dr. Strangelove, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now) but I&#39;m surprised that no one mentioned King Rat, Stalag 17 or Slaughterhouse Five. Maybe not specifically "war movies" but still war-related and still excellent filmmaking. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
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