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Our take
Platoon puts a young volunteer into Vietnam and shows what the fighting does to soldiers and civilians alike. Ambushes, explosions and a village raid are brutal, with strong language and drug use threaded through the downtime. It is a serious film, but that does not make the atrocities easier to watch. We would wait until 16.
Uplifting themes
The film argues that war damages everyone it touches and that choosing conscience matters even when it costs something. Its anti-war voice is clear, though the content is hard to watch A kind, thoughtful sergeant protects others and urges restraint, and the main character slowly finds his own moral compass. Other leaders show cruelty and lawlessness Based on the director's own service in Vietnam, it gives teens a vivid look at the war's daily fear, politics, and moral cost. It works best with a parent to talk with afterward
Story (may spoil tone)
As a young and naive recruit in Vietnam, Chris Taylor faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Night ambushes, firefights, and grenade blasts leave men dead and screa…
Night ambushes, firefights, and grenade blasts leave men dead and screaming around the main character. Soldiers also beat and murder civilians and turn on each other. It is long, loud, and meant to disturb
Language The f-word and other strong words come up constantly in orders, fights,…
The f-word and other strong words come up constantly in orders, fights, and jokes. Racial, sexist, and cruel insults are common among the troops
Sex / nudity Soldiers talk crudely about women and sex, and sexual jokes pop up in t…
Soldiers talk crudely about women and sex, and sexual jokes pop up in the downtime between patrols. Nothing is shown at length
Drugs / alcohol Soldiers drink beer and whiskey and smoke marijuana in a bunker scene t…
Soldiers drink beer and whiskey and smoke marijuana in a bunker scene that shows them getting high together. The film shows drugs as an escape from fear that dulls their judgment
Frightening Night patrols, ambushes, and sudden explosions keep the fear high, and…
Night patrols, ambushes, and sudden explosions keep the fear high, and the jungle feels hostile. A chaotic night attack late in the film is overwhelming
Sexual violence During a raid on a village, soldiers threaten women, and an attempted s…
During a raid on a village, soldiers threaten women, and an attempted sexual assault is interrupted. It is disturbing and short, and not shown in graphic detail
Child peril / abuse Frightened villagers, including children, are rounded up and menaced, a…
Frightened villagers, including children, are rounded up and menaced, and a young villager is killed during the raid. The cruelty is hard to watch
Bullying / discrimination Racial tension and class resentment surface among the troops, with insu…
Racial tension and class resentment surface among the troops, with insults about race and who gets sent to fight. Sergeants also bully and threaten newer men
Gore / death / weapons Bodies are torn apart, wounded soldiers scream in the mud, and corpses…
Bodies are torn apart, wounded soldiers scream in the mud, and corpses are left in the open. Close shots of injuries and blood continue through the battle scenes
Mental health The main character and others show fear, numbness, anger, and guilt as…
The main character and others show fear, numbness, anger, and guilt as the war wears them down. The film shows moral injury and trauma without treatment or easy comfort
Grief / bereavement Friends and fellow soldiers die, sometimes suddenly, and the survivors…
Friends and fellow soldiers die, sometimes suddenly, and the survivors have little room to grieve. A haunting closing narration reflects on what was lost
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- The film shows soldiers who stay decent and soldiers who lose all restraint. What helps a person hold on to conscience under that pressure?
- Chris narrates what the war did to him. Why do you think the filmmaker wanted us to see it through a new soldier's eyes?
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Platoon
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