I have no energy to write. Unlike Elijah, however, he was not successful in his goals. (Stone, p. 95) On December 18, 1916 The Battle of Verdun came to an end after 10 months of fighting. Hough is a senior writer at Screen Rant. A platoon is four squads: generally three rifle squads and one weapons squad, normally armed with machine guns and anti-tank weapons. Barnes is obviously affected by the deaths of more of his men, enough so to make him momentarily lose his tough, military sergeant facade and expose a slight vulnerability. That screenplay was actually based on Stone's earlier screenplay, Break, a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences and people he knew in Vietnam. Hollywood is filled with stories about directors burning through numerous takes to get the exact moment theyre looking for. Thematically, the final war sequence is designed to parallel the Elias shooting scene. Barnes shoots a villager he sees running away in the back when they approach the villagea case of shoot first ask questions later. Barnes easily overpowers Chris and would have killed him if the other men werent there to intervene. BARNES: Elias, get your men ready Elias from reporting war crime charges against him, Sgt. How big is a platoon? Meanwhile, Taylor loses friends within the platoon after preventing the rape of a Vietnamese woman. Reference: Quiz: "Platoon" - The Movie . Top 4 Reasons the Property Management Companies are Thriving. | When the platoon does see action on the all night ambush, Chris and Gardner are obviously insufficiently prepared for combat, which results in Gardner being killed, Tex losing his arm, and Chris getting shot. Edit, Night AmbushPvt Tex (WIA): Has hand blown off by Sgt. Live up to what Grandpa did in the First War and Dad the Second. Barnes, severely wounded himself, says, "Do it." Taylor obliges and kills him. Elias threatens to take the unproven matter to the proper authorities, but he never has the chance because Barnes kills him. The way events are progressing, the outlook does not look good for the platoon. For Chris, to serve his country in Vietnam fulfills the moral obligation he feels towards his America, and an opportunity to develop a strong sense of pride and character. External Reviews He later wrote in his biography, Chasing the Light, No cooperation was possible; in fact, they put out an advisory in the Philippines at the Clark and Subic Bay bases against US troops participating in any filming activity. When the platoon takes some gruesome losses, an enraged Barnes kills some Vietnamese and orders the burning of their village, outraging the temporarily absent Elias. Promoted to Staff Sergeant (Platoon Sergeant): at end of film.Pvt Rhah (Survives): Given command of Elias's squad and seen waving at film end. Who was Murphy? Sergeant. The scar-faced Barnes is a brave and utterly ruthless killing machine. Well, here I am, all by my lonesome, and ain't nobody gonna know. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. And I ain't gonna allow that in any of you. This is done as a means of releasing the tension and frustration that has built up from horrific ordeals he and his platoon have recently experienced; While his platoon pillages a small village, Chris rescues a young village girl from being raped by some of the men in his platoon; When Sgt. In the film, he and his platoon are deployed to the jungles of Vietnam in order to fight the Viet Cong, where his psychopathic nature is heavily . CHRIS(V.O. In his rage, he even tries to kill Taylor. O'Neil (Survives): 3rd Squad (Charlie): Squad Leader. On the ambush, a soldier gets his arm blown off by a grenade and hysterically screams from the pain. Barnes. He was the chief prophet and messenger of God in the Jewish faith. Therefore they would probably have to break in new recruits, until the WIA's were fit for duty again. Not one. Barnes orders the rest of the platoon to retreat, and goes back into the jungle to find Elias' group. But in actuality, he doesnt know for sure that Sgt. Barnes immorality that brings about the deterioration of Chris own psyche. Barnes (KIA): Killed by Taylor. Barnes would have brought Chris down to his level of evil and would have officially corrupted his soul which means he still would have won.3) Barnes wasn't evil. Out here assholes, ya keep your shit wired tight at all times! The young Lieutenant Wolfe, who has not proven himself in war yet, illustrates unproven as the problem in several situations. Why did Barnes shoots Elias? Oliver Stone set up several cameras to capture the drama of the moment that gives you chills. Ultimately, Platoonis about survival and legacy. Chris, like Sgt. 1st Squad (Alpha): Squad Leader. Barnes conceives of killing Chris as a means of eliminating anyone whos a threat of implicating him in the murder of Elias. Chris takes his hunches and transforms them into theorieshe tries to take his emotional feelings and sensations and apply logic to them. Grabbing a loose stick, crudely drawing out their position in the dirt and tracing it out for the Lieutenant. The others in the platoon view the experienced Sgt. Johnny Depp Learned An Entire Language For His Role In Platoon. Barnes finds Elias alone and shoots him, then returns and tells Chris that Elias was killed by the enemy. Elias running after them, being chased by the enemy, even after Sgt. The events of his past have dehumanized this man into a remorseless, immoral killing machine. Chris gets his revenge and kills Sgt. Like everybody else. Is there a Nazi flag on the American tank? Barnes believes that Chris fell asleep during his watch, allowing the enemy to sneak up on the platoon. Elias argument to Sgt. Elias when they are alone in the jungle. Why did Sgt Barnes shoots Elias? The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. Do my share for my country. Tonight. RHAH: I remember you first came in here Taylor. There is a lot of speculation whether he lives or dies, confused even more by the fact Depp mentions Lerner dies in a documentary about this movie. Barnes is a callous soldier, hardened from several tours of duty in the Nam. Horrible scars carved into his face physically suggest the experiences he has seen. Get that other cherry up here, Gardner! Elias, a free spirit (Willem Dafoe), leads the latter group. Remember what it looks like. Barnes has engaged in. He is on a quest to find something of which to be proud. After Sgt. Through all his experiences, Chris has come to learn the true nature of war. Elias, a free spirit (Willem Dafoe), leads the latter group. No longer a liability, Chris has become a valuable asset to the platoon. Edit, Likely because it is meant to represent a helmet from a fallen soldier on the battlefield. Company. Bunny refers to himself as "Audie Murphy". Barnes lost control of his emotions and men at the worst possible moment, which had he not murdered Elias would've taken him and several of his platoon out of the fight. In the closing minutes of Platoon, the character re-emerges with a big smile on his face, and tells Taylor that they'll both be sent homeas "two-timers." Edit, As stated in the trivia, Charlie Sheen improvised this, as he felt Chris would be suicidal by the end of the movie, having murdered Barnes in cold blood and seen the horrors of what the men fighting on the same side as him would do to each other and innocent people during the conflict. Hes definitely obligated to his country, but theres nothing moral about his obligation. The day after suffering its most severe casualties, the platoon and several companies are sent right back into the same enemy-saturated area. Performing a patriotic service for your country, the chance to take rage and frustration out on the enemy that has caused it, doing drugsthese are types of dividends the men can reap in the platoon. They have to be like Barnes or be like Elias or be loners, but there are definitely many aspects of their lives they have to give up and a way they must be in order to survive in the war. How many days you short? Barnes to coordinate and divvy up the platoons excursion detail: Elias admits he is a burn out and has some faults, but at least he is competent and doesn't frag his own. Another instance that illustrates how Chris looks at the war from an overall, holistic standpoint is in the last conversation he has with King: In the aftermath, Barnes sees Taylor aiming a gun at him. Then they would be sent home. How much is a platoon? So he stabbed himself in order to be taken off duty long enough to be sent home. The inhumane, merciless treatment Barnes carries out shocks Chris and rekindles his conscience and sense of morals. Barnes' decision to kill Elias and later, his decision to try and kill Chris, provokes Chris to kill him. Elias, and the other half with Sgt. The platoon investigates a small village suspected of Viet Cong activity. There's nature and technology, free will and fate - that place had changed him and in killing Barnes, he acknowledges as much, if only to break the spell. Best Movies about modern (post-1900) warfare/military. He's the guy with the M79 who brings the village elder to Barnes to interrogate. The enormous loss of lives sustained in the last battle clearly indicates the U.S. militarys failure in making progress in the Vietnam War. He is played by an Assistant Technical Adviser Mark Ebonhoch. He also tells a soldier whos screaming when he gets his arm blown off in the ambush to be quiet and, Take the pain!in other words, act indifferent to the pain, so the enemy will not hear him and lock in on the platoons location. Francis - portrayed by Living Colour frontman Corey Glover - emerges from a foxhole and correctly determines that help is indeed on the way. Elias takes Chrisand two other men to intercept flanking enemy troops. He has become so dehumanized and corrupted by the experiences of the war, he is willing to shoot his own men to prevent them from challenging his way of war. RHAH: (puffing on his bowl) How do you know the dinks didnt get him. While the platoon is extracting via helicopter, they see a mortally wounded Elias emerge from the treeline being chased by NVA soldiers, who eventually kill him. I figured why should just the poor kids go off to war and the rich kids always get away with it.". Elias's onscreen death in Platoon. Lieutenants lead most platoons, and the second-in-command is generally a sergeant first class. Sgt. . Barnes, who he sees as a worthless human being. These actions are undertaken with the constant fear the enemy could possibly attack at any moment, and unfortunately, the new recruits, fresh meat, have an entire year of this to endure. Barnes as a role model and leader makes a significant impact on the men in the platoon, including Chris. The surrounding jungle floor and the entire military compound are strewn with the bodies of American and Viet Cong soldiers, and the Americans have obviously gotten the worst of it. Barnes, who drives Chris and the platoon hard throughout the jungle hikes. Chris experiences in the war do not lead him to find something to be proud of, instead, he has become a cold-blooded murderer, and kills his nemesis, Sgt. It leaves us with the ominous impression that this is definitely a war America is losing. Why does Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) call Barnes and Elias his "fathers" during the final monologue. When Barnes condemns the men by saying, I shit on all of you! he is basically telling Chris and the others they are worthless. Written and directed by Oliver Stone. BARNES: (to all) Yall take a good look at this lump of shit! Barnes defeats any ideas they might have had about killing him. Seen being carried away at end of battle. Barnes: (to all) Yall take a good look at this lump of shit! This also means it has been incorporated into the Dramatica Story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. Captain. 2nd Lieutenant (Platoon Leader).SSG. Who leads a platoon in the Army? by | Apr 19, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 comments | Apr 19, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 comments And the next son of a bitch I catch coppin Z in the bush, Im personally going to take an interest in seein suffer. Hes escaped death so many times he seems to have passed beyond humanity. (NEWSWEEK, 1/5/87, p. 57, David Ansen with Peter McAlevey). The reference to "decorated" can be misconstrued as medals considered to be "worthless." Chris memory of Barnes evil deeds and the memory of Elias and what he stood for, enable him to finally shoot Barnes. One of the most memorable scenes in Platoon was the death of main character Sgt Elias, portrayed by Willem Dafoe. Is the village massacre based on any actual events? Chris is thematically focused on understanding how to apply what he knows. I cant believe we are fighting each other when we should be fighting them. The light also shines on his eyes, giving them a devilish glow. No on talks. Elias ' decision to report Barnes ' criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias ), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. Is "Platoon" based on a book? For most of the movie, Taylor has remained above the fray, so to speak. When Taylor discovers Barnes in Platoon, both men aren't doing well after the NVA attack and the subsequent air raid. [hands pipe back and spits] Sgt. He was also awarded France's and England's version of the Medal of Honor. Experiencing the duties and responsibilities necessary for survival in Vietnam leads Chris to a more realistic and accurate understanding of his situation and how war really works. When you know you know. Sgt Elias represents the good in Christ-like fashion, while the callous Sgt Barnes, portrayed by Tom Berenger, is devil-like. However, soldiers were strictly forbidden to touch any objects they found in the field that seemed out of place or important. Elias. Elias ( Willem Dafoe ), another good fighter, but a man who tries to escape from the reality through drugs. Barnes. Why is the helmet placed upside down in the poster? During that 10 month period an estimated 600,000 French and German soldiers became a casualty. Among his followers were Sgt. Chris views the division in the platoon as a direct result of Barnes lack of respect for human life and unscrupulous morals: In Platoon, the narrative constant is always chaos. A similar character in Barnes being the leader of a Platoon in the Vietnam war. Whereas, for Sgt. The first casualty of war is innocence. Chris is obviously opposed to, and appalled by, Sgt. You dont sleep on no fucking ambush! An illustration of how delusion acts as the catalyst in the objective story is when Bunny paints a fantasy about an old woman and her crippled son being the leaders of the village and agents for the Viet Cong army. Oliver Stone's Platoon is actually about the conflict between two Sergeants in a typical Nam platoon.One is a bloody, axe-murdering evil bastard (Tom Berenger) named Barnes.The other is an opium-smoking, moral man (Willem Dafoe) who cares for each one of his subordinates, named Elias.Stuck in the middle is the clueless Platoon Lieutenant "Sergeant Barnes I would appreciate it if in front of . Barnes is the antithesis of Hamlet. Barnes challenges Chris to, Do it!to shoot him while Chris has a rifle trained on him and his finger on the trigger. The conflict ends with Barnes ready to kill Taylor, an inexperienced soldier who seemingly doesn't pose a major threat to his standing within the U.S. Army. Platoon primarily centers on the power dynamics between Taylor (Charlie Sheen),Staff Sergeant Bob Barnes (Tom Berenger), andSergeant Gordon Elias(Willem Dafoe). ELIAS: Lieutenant, lemme take some men out on the right flank, theres spiderholes back there CHRIS: Not just me its the way the whole thing works. Excluding the WIA's, who is left behind to fight from the platoon? Chris is the only one to make a feeble attempt to attack and kill Barnes. Truman wanted French support against Russia. Lias, he was full of shit, Lias was a crusader - I got no fight with a man does what hes told, but when he dont, the machine breaks down, and when the machine breaks down, we break down and I aint gonna allow that. who would you have rather served with in NAM, or in any war. Hes able to make observations that other people miss. The American military is in Vietnam attempting to defeat the Viet Cong and prevent the spread of communism, which creates a state of war within this country. This sight directly contradicts Sgt. Specialist 4th class. 8 pages of info, trailer, pictures and more. KING: Whoever said we did, babe. By the early 1960s, after increasing military involvement, America found itself stepping in for the exhausted French and Southern Vietnamese governments, and leading the campaign against the lethal Viet Cong, the North Vietnamese communist regime. With his unique perspective, Stone filmed one of the most iconicdeath scenes in cinema history the dramatic end of Sgt. Its purely practical: the helicopters up there, you want to reach for it. People like Elias get wasted and people like Barnes just go on making up rules any way they want and what do we do, we just sit around in the middle and suck on it! Elias eyes seem to go to some inner place, his passion surging. Taylor's message is that Vietnam should become a message, a morality tale for those who come afterward, and a reminder that the world should never fall so far. The realm of conflict between Chris and Sergeant Barnes is in their fixed attitudes. S.SGT Barnes or Sgt. ELIAS: (to Barnes) They dont know shit Barnes, and chances are theyre gonna run into something. | Elias based on the notion that he can see the proof in Sgt. RHAH: (puffing on his bowl) How do you know the dinks didnt get him. Edit, near the beginning of the movie, as the squad goes out for the night ambush and in the end of the movie? Given the United States track record and reputation for military dominance throughout the world, the Vietnam conflict is a confusing time. Q.V. That didn't make much sense to most of his fellow soldiers, frankly . The physical and, especially, emotional wounds he has sustained in Vietnam will forever serve to remind him of the shameful dehumanization he endured in the war. At this point, Chris is beginning to develop a stronger sense of moral conviction in reaction to the shocking and appalling actions of his fellow platoon members. Out here assholes, ya keep your shit wired tight at all times! Chris beliefs are derived from the tense, volatile relationship between Elias and Barnes, and the horrible scene where Elias runs from the jungle only to get killed by the enemy soldiers pursuing him. You were there Rhah - I know what you were thinking. By the final act, director Oliver Stone provides a piercingcommentary about the lasting effects of war and the consequences ofspontaneous decisions. The success of Mao Tse-tungs communist revolution in China strengthened Americas support of the French in Vietnam. Where did they shoot platoon? ONEILL: So what am I going to do! Sgt. The remaining platoon soldiers were being hauled out by helicopter from the ambush area. I dont know whats right and whats wrong anymore. King and Crawford share a smile. As it turns out, Francis stabbed himself as a strategic wartime move. You dont sleep on no fucking ambush! Get that other cherry up here, Gardner! Barnes killed Elias, it's just a feeling that Chris has about him. . I know he did. When you know you know. He doesn't kill any civilians during the raid on These lines obviously reference the internal conflict amongst his unit, and Taylor statesthat the Vietnam War will always be with him. Besides that, he had no further communication with cast or crew during the scene. 1, Sheila Benson). Six of you boys against me. The black soldier behind him is Flash, the guy in the foreground is Bunny. The platoons immoral behavior, and the dehumanizing treatment of the villagers supports Elias notion that the U.S. is going to lose the war. Platoon opens up with a shot of body bags organized in preparation to make their final journey home to America. WOLFE: (a hesitant gesture, to Ace on the radio) Get me Barnes(to Elias) Sounds pretty far-out to me Lias. In this case, however, the power dynamics are significantly different. Barnes was a hot headed, gung-ho go getter who actually believed in his cause was was willing to do whatever was necessary to win the war Elias was much less of a fighting man but it can be argued that men like Elias would be better for winning the Hearts and Minds of the population. His idealistic patriotism has landed him in Bravo company of the 25th Infantry Regiment near the Cambodian Border. Sgt. We just dont add up to a rats ass. CHRIS: He killed him. Chris and his platoon release their tension and frustrations from the war on a small Vietnamese village. For him, an authentic life means stepping down in class; he embraces the same experience as the working-class blacks and white ethnics who got draftedcommon clay, most of them, forgotten men, losers. (Denby 86). Tonight. Copyright 1994-2023 Write Brothers, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Elias, who has learned from experience, knows what to do when his platoon is about to be set up in an ambush. He was cruel and willing to kill those he was tasked with protecting. Francis earned a one-way ticket home for stabbing himself in the leg. He grins, finding their reactions funny. CHRIS: Yever get caught in a mistake, King, and you just cant get out of it? Car-15. Dale Dye says in his commentary that Huffmeister is played by an Assistant Technical Advisor called Robert Galotti, he is the guy who rolls down the hill in the opening credits and also chucks a grenade down the well in the village scene.Pvt Francis (WIA): Stabs himself in the leg to get second Purple Heart and thus get sent home, along with Taylor.Pvt Rodriguez (WIA): On chopper with Francis at end of film. Chris believes Barnes to be dangerous to his own men, and is frustrated at his inability to prove Barnes immorality. When Chris reflects upon the village and the murder of Elias, he is able to gain the same enlightenment, yet his killing of Barnes in cold blood detracts from any progress hes made toward self-fulfillment. Matters continue to get worse for the platoon. He is one of the four dead bodies under ponchos. When the ambush goes awry and the platoon experiences casualties, Sgt. He is a naive and overly idealistic infantry enlistee that has dropped out of school and joined the war in order to gain a sense of pride about himself; to do his share for the U.S., and to become anonymous like the rest of the men in his platoon. From none of you. Elias tells Barnes that they don't know anything, and they are probably going to run into something. The new recruit, Gardner gets killed, Tex loses an arm, Chris is grazed by a bullet in the neck on the all night ambush that goes awry. CHRIS: Yever get caught in a mistake King and you just cant get out of it? Barnes is able to provoke Chris to attack him, and Barnes almost kills Chris, but is persuaded not to by Rhah. BARNES: Yall take a good look at this lump of shit! ELIAS: First Platoons gonna be coming up here to reinforce us a couple of dinks get in here behind us, theyll get us in a crossfire with the First, well shoot each other to shit. ELIAS: Hey ONeill why dont you cool it, you dont have to be a prick everyday of your life you know. why did barnes kill elias. I saw his eyes when he came back in "Looking back," he says, "We did not fight the enemy. Elias runs up to him. CHRIS: I was wrong. To put an end to his own personal war, Sgt. Immediately experiencing platoon life in Vietnam abruptly begins to change the naive, idyllic notions Chris, a volunteer, has about war. Tips to avoid the fake and spam followers. CHRIS: He killed him. To prevent Sgt. Chris and other new recruits are made immediately aware that their future is going to be bleak, harsh, and very possibly deadly in Vietnam. The ending of Platoon suggests that Elias and Barnes are symbolic of good and evil forces that fight for the soul of Taylor. Back at the base, Taylor suggests that Barnes should be fragged, or killed by his own men, for his despicable actions on the battlefield. CHRIS: Yeah, I dropped out of college and told em I wanted infantry, combat, and Nam What's new. Elias decision to report Barnes criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. During the run, however, some went off, while others failed, although viewers were unaware of this. There are a number of examples illustrating how Chris prefers to deal with situations externally, and looks for physical solutions to his problems. Barnes comes across as the old wise one, it really doesnt play well. As an example, he is able to home in on who it is that is called to war, and who is excused: He has attained the combat skills and control over his fear necessary to perform competently during combat. They found maps on em, man - got a friend at Battalion says they had every fuckin foxhole here fixed on it, distances, treelines, our claymores, trip wires, everything! Lurking in the town in the disguise of a day laborer, Elas . Elias' decision to report Barnes' criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. "Adagio for strings", composed by Samuel Barber and performed by the New Zealand Symphony. In fact, Stone shot the entire movie in the Philippines and had plenty of trouble doing so. The FAQ items below may give away important plot points. How does bunny die in Platoon? Most of the platoon, including Wolfe and most of Barnes' followers, are killed in the ensuing battle. They are the internal moral pillars all humans have that determine whether man's innate capacity for evil is realized or not. CHRIS: Yever get caught in a mistake King and you just cant get out of it? Chris thought the war would mold him into the type of man he would be proud of, instead it has dehumanized him to the point where he is willing and able to commit the murder of his commanding officer in an act of revenge. Sgt. Through voiceover narration, Taylor explains his experiences through letters home to his grandmother and eventually proves himself to be the most morally righteous of the main characters. | Barnes views Chris the same way he views Elias, an agent out to challenge his way of war, a crusader causing dissension among the men, undermining Barnes efforts, and placing the platoon in jeopardy. News, For me, it was a purely physical thing. The war forced Chris to experience and do things that hes not proud of at all, like his platoons involvement in the My-Lai-esque pillage and destruction of a Vietnamese village, and the climatic murder of Sgt. Sgt. Stone's message suggests that for goodness to prevail, darkness must be overcome. Select Page. I have mixed feelings about the movie Platoon. (Stone, p. 65), In Platoon, Writer-director Oliver Stone drops us as he drops his autobiographical 19-year-old, Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), into life with the 25th Infantry in Vietnam. Barnes was a hot headed, gung-ho go getter who actually believed in his cause was was willing to do whatever was necessary to win the war Elias was much less of a fighting man but it can be argued that men like Elias would be better for winning the Hearts and Minds of the population. ELIAS: In 65 - yeah. How many days you short? How many days you short? His wisdom in understanding the unfair pattern established by society and the government to favor him, while subjecting the less fortunate to the lions share of military duty bothers Chris and provokes him to enlist in the service.
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