“Adagio for Strings”, Sergeant Barnes, Sergeant Elias… what is there not to love about Platoon! As a student of history, this film does an exemplary job of capturing the viscosity of the Vietnam War. 

The accuracy stems from the writer and director of the film, Oliver Stone, a veteran of the Vietnam war. No other war film in history captures the sorrow and conflict war presents the human soul like Platoon. 

The main character, Taylor, is enlisted in the military and takes orders from two trains of thought; Sergeant Barnes and Sergeant Elias. 

Barnes is a stereotypical Sergeant. He wears a scar across his face and the men fear, yet respect him. 

He is brutal and unforgiving of the enemy, which vilifies him because Barnes often views Vietnamese civilians as the enemy.

This is realized through the horrible depiction of the United States armed forces committing a litany of war crimes against the Vietnamese people. 

These horrific 20 minutes mirror the My Lei massacre. To see it unfold on screen is terrifying, but unforgettable.

Barnes is also the owner of many famous lines such as

“What you know about reality…I am reality”

Or 

“Take the pain!”

Elias is quite the opposite. He is very concerned about the wellbeing of the Vietnamese people, but he is aware that the soldiers are there on a mission. He also believes that Barnes is too harsh, which becomes a driving conflict in the film. 

The film then sheds light on another significant sad element of history, fragging. 

Fragging was military slang for murdering a fellow soldier, on purpose. 

This concept is brought to light when Sergeant Barnes finds Sergeant Elias alone on the battlefield. 

Sergeant Elias waves at Barnes to signify that he is an ally, whereas Barnes aims…and fires…

This is what gives us one of the greatest pieces of cinematography in all of film history.

As our main character and the rest of the platoon flees the dense, overrun Vietnamese forest, we see Elias struggling to evade the Vietnamese infantrymen, arms stretched, reaching towards the heavens, yearning for life. 

This scene, paired with the melancholic depth orchestrated by “Adagio for Strings” whilst Elias has his life taken, symbolizes the United States effort in the war. 

The movie ends with this departing phrase from Taylor.

 “…those of us who did make it have an obligation to build again, to teach to others what we know, and to try with what’s left of our lives to find a goodness and meaning to this life.”

Battle evil with moral righteousness, rise above the chaos, and learn from our mistakes; this is the message Platoon sends us.