2. Platoon
Oliver Stone’s semi-autobiographical film set in the trenches of the Vietnam War, finds Charlie Sheen as a soldier caught up in the horrors of combat and conflict within his platoon.
Dafoe really shines in this film as the brave and tragic Sergeant Elias Grodin. His presence in the film acts as a touchstone for Sheen’s Taylor, who becomes increasingly disillusioned as the conflict rages on. It’s a role that Dafoe hasn’t played very often – that of a mentor/father figure. It’s through his character that we as the audience grow closer to the film, and his tragic death, played in a heartbreaking sequence, imbues a sense of despair. His death represents the effect of war on the soldiers who fight it, and it’s especially relevant this day and age.
Although it’s still not regarded as highly as Apocalypse Now, Platoon still remains an important film in the war genre – specifically the Vietnam War. It also highlights another brilliant turn from Willem Dafoe, who was still working toward the career that he now gets to enjoy. A brilliant and heartwrenching film.
