Platoon (1986)

Dramatically, a strong war film. The action is effective, and the performances across a terrific cast are even better. That said, the film lags at times, lacking direction and instead leaving us with moments that almost feel… pointless. That may be intentional, a reflection of the war itself, but without a clear objective for the characters or story, the film can feel more like a documentary (not unlike Apollo 13) than a driven dramatic story.

It also might have benefited from another angle on the war, whether technical, philosophical, or even comedic. That’s what made Full Metal Jacket so compelling. It managed to find dark humor within the horror, adding texture and contrast to the experience.

Charlie Sheen is oddly appealing in the lead role, but I would have preferred more insight into his character through interaction rather than the extensive voice-over narration. Voice-over can be an effective tool, but here it sometimes feels like a shortcut, telling us who he is instead of showing us.