Reviewed by: Becca and Jeff

Directed by: Oliver Stone

Produced by: N/A

Cast: Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Francesco Quinn, Forest Whitaker, John C. McGinley, Kevin Dillon, Richard Edson, Reggie Johnson, Keith David, Johnny Depp, Dale Dye, Mark Moses, Chris Pederson, David Neidorf, Tony Todd, Ivan Kane, Paul Sanchez, Corey Glover, Oliver Stone

A new recruit, Chris, is torn between his two sergeants while in Vietnam. One keeping his morals and trying to do just what he was ordered to do. The other trying to survive by any means possible. Chris spends his time trying to decide where he is in all this confussion, and truly where his heart lies. While trying to stay alive, when his own platoon is torn against eachother.

I am not much for war movies, especially ones that are about the last century. So, I wasn't to sure about this movie, but I have to say I did enjoy it. Alot of other reviews say the movie lack plot, but I think that is what makes this movie so special. It shows a different side of the war, and it doesn't glorify either side of the Vietnam War. It showed both sides were wrong and bad in their own ways. It kept things real, showing that even in the military loyalty can be split. Charlie Sheen's character had to decide about what kind of man he was going to be. That decision would affect the rest of his life, and it shows him trying to be both. I am a patrotic person, so I was kind of upset at first about how the American Forces were portrayed, but I realized that not all men are good. Not even in our own military, and this shows that no matter what side you are fighting for there are bad people on both.

This is one of those classic war movies that pretty much everyone needs to see at least once. It really shows the brutality of war, and the conflicts that can occur besides the obvious fighting. Its the typical good vs. evil, but they raise the question, who really is the greater evil? Us or them? Charlie Sheen is very good in this as the inexperienced rich kid who enlists in the marines. He plays the character very well, and he really shows the constant struggle that he must face to which path he should follow, William DaFoe's brave and compassionate character, or Tom Beringer's gritty and (most of the time) inhumane character. As with most of Oliver Stones movies, it's very symbolic and also has very good cinematography. This is an excellent film that everyone needs to see once (as I said before).