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War drama

Platoon (1986): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Platoon (1986) movie poster

Platoon is a 1986 war drama directed by Oliver Stone, starring Mark Moses, Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger. It runs 2 hours and earned $138.5 million worldwide on a $6 million budget. It won 4 Oscars, including Best Picture and Directing, and 11 awards in all. Critics gave it 92 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.1/10.

IMDb rating
8.1/10
worldwide gross
$138.5M
Oscars won
4
Metascore
92
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Platoon (1986) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h (120 min)
Director
Oliver Stone
Genres
Drama , War
Original language
English
Budget
$6M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Platoon About?

The premise of Platoon without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In 1967, idealistic soldier Chris Taylor experiences the harsh realities of the Vietnam War upon arriving in the country's combat zones. He finds himself caught between conflicting leadership styles within his unit: the ruthless and pragmatic Staff Sergeant Barnes, and the compassionate Sergeant Elias. Their differing approaches to warfare create tension and fractured loyalties, as the soldiers become entangled in a dangerous and deadly conflict with the Viet Cong. Taylor's innocence is challenged as he witnesses the brutal and psychological toll of war.

Platoon Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • vietnam war
  • combat fatigue
  • voice over
  • fragging
  • marijuana
  • rescue
  • jungle warfare
  • death of friend
  • corpse
  • vietnam
  • jungle
  • napalm
+38 more
  • 1960s
  • infantry
  • gunshot wound
  • body bag
  • military officer
  • drugs
  • american
  • scar
  • oversleeping
  • male bonding
  • friendly fire
  • combat
  • soldier
  • battle
  • village
  • army base
  • bayonet
  • hand grenade
  • snake
  • tarmac
  • suicide attack
  • rainstorm
  • ambush
  • amputee
  • helicopter
  • murder
  • psychopath
  • booby trap
  • gore
  • national film registry
  • blockbuster
  • vulgarity
  • morley cigarettes
  • war crime
  • u.s. army
  • military
  • correspondence
  • mass grave
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Cast & crew

Platoon Cast

Mark Moses leads the cast, with Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger. Directed by Oliver Stone; 9 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Oliver Stone

More films directed by Oliver Stone, best-rated first: Born on the Fourth of July, JFK, Natural Born Killers and Salvador.

Full filmography
Ratings

Platoon Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Platoon 92 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.1/10.

Plot

Platoon Plot Summary

What happens in Platoon from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Chris Taylor, portrayed by Charlie Sheen, is a young American who opts for a life in the infantry, departing from his privileged university background to volunteer for combat in Vietnam during September 1967. Upon arriving in Da Nang, South Vietnam, he is confronted with the grim reality of war as he observes dead soldiers being loaded into body bags on his plane. Assigned to Bravo Company of the 25th Infantry Division, stationed “somewhere near the Cambodian border,” Taylor’s initial enthusiasm quickly diminished amidst the grueling work and harsh living conditions.

Full summary

The whole story of Platoon, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Platoon Box Office & Budget

Platoon grossed $138.5 million worldwide on a $6 million budget, 23 times what it cost. $138.5 million came from the US and Canada and $15,690 (0%) from the rest of the world.

1986 box office

Worldwide gross

$138.5M

23× its budget

US & Canada
$138.5M
International
$15.7K
Budget
$6M
US & Canada 100% Rest of the world 0%
Awards

Platoon Awards & Nominations

Platoon won 4 Oscars, including Best Picture and Directing, and 11 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 1987, with 4 wins from 7 nominations.

11 wins20 nominations5 ceremonies

Show all 5 ceremonies
  • Golden Globe Awards logo
    Golden Globes 1987 4 nominations
    • Nominated Best Director – Oliver Stone
    • Nominated Best Motion Picture – Drama
    • Nominated Best Screenplay – Oliver Stone
    • Nominated Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Comedy or Musical (Supporting Actor) – Tom Berenger
Videos

Platoon Trailers & Videos

9 videos: 1 trailer, 4 clips and 4 featurettes.

All 9 videos
Official Trailer
  • Clip Letter To Grandma
  • Clip Take The Pain
  • Clip Elias Confronts Barnes
  • Clip We're Going To Lose This War
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Platoon?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the main character in 'Platoon'?

Cars

Cars in Platoon

7 cars on screen, including the Caterpillar D7 and the 1960 FMC M113.

All 7 cars
  • Caterpillar D7 in Platoon Caterpillar D7 Minor role
  • 1960 FMC M113 in Platoon 1960 FMC M113 Minor role
  • United Tractor in Platoon United Tractor Minor role
  • 1953 Willys Jeep CJ-3B in Platoon 1953 Willys Jeep CJ-3B Minor role
Details

Platoon Also Known As

25 alternative titles, including “Vzvod” and “Pluton”.

Also known as
  • Vzvod
  • Pluton
  • Pelotón
  • 殺戳戰場
  • 野战排
  • A szakasz
  • Platoon - Os Bravos do Pelotão
  • Četa
  • Plutonen
  • Взвод
  • Müfreze
  • Platoon - nuoret sotilaat
+13 more
  • Platoon - kamp-patruljen
  • Вод
  • Čata
  • Πλατούν
  • プラトーン
  • 플래툰
  • פלאטון
  • 前進高棉
  • Būrys
  • พลาทูน
  • Trung Đội, ოცეული
  • 殺戮戰場
  • Vod smrti

Seen Platoon?

FAQ

Platoon FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Platoon, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Platoon?

Platoon runs 2 hours (120 minutes).

When was Platoon released?

Platoon was released on December 19, 1986.

Who directed Platoon?

Platoon was directed by Oliver Stone.

More films by Oliver Stone

Who is in the cast of Platoon?

Platoon stars Mark Moses, Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger, among 9 credited actors.

How much did Platoon make at the box office?

Platoon grossed $138.5 million worldwide ($138.5 million domestic, $15,690 international) on a budget of $6 million.

How is Platoon rated?

Platoon has 8.1/10 on IMDb, 92 on Metacritic and 77% on TMDB.

What awards did Platoon win?

Platoon won 11 awards from 20 nominations, including Best Direction at the BAFTA 1988.

Does Platoon have a post-credit scene?

No. Platoon has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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