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Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 27th May 2011.
Stone’s incendiary Platoon hits region-free Blu-ray like a napalm burst, its impact bolstered by a mostly excellent transfer that brings out the lushness of the environment and explosive beauty of the war ... and all of its horrors with a savage and clinical eye. Intensely moving and powerfully exciting, this is the sort of film that demands to be seen – an accusation and an epitaph at the same time. With all of its sweat, blood and tears intact, the film remains an inflamatory masterpiece and its transition to hi-definition marks a worthy upgrade from previous editions. The video transfer is faithful and helps to make Robert Richardson’s wonderful photography all the more evocative and shudderingly immersive. Audio-wise, the film’s original sound design was never going to win any plaudits when compared to more modern fare - even so, this lossless incarnation has a few niggles that I would say are inherent to the source. But the point is that it still sounds better than you've probably heard it before. We may lose the Tour Of The Inferno documentary, but this remains an exemplary overall package that celebrates an extremely powerful motion picture.
The cast all shine in what are difficult and testing roles, and the film made icons out of Dafoe and Berenger. But this is not to lessen the impact of Charlie Sheen’s epic portrayal of confusion, anxiety, rage and shell-shocked reconciliation that forms the heart of our own disturbing journey as we look on, utterly helpless. Oliver Stone is one of the most committed filmmakers to have studied the American Myth-conception but, for me, he peaked very early on with Platoon. He trawled through the aftermath of the events we see here with Born On The Fourth Of July, and segued into the cultural left-field with The Doors – both excellent films. Yet nothing quite grips, upsets and galvanises like Platoon.
Riveting, emotional and superbly iconographic, Platoon is essential.
Read the full review...
Stone’s incendiary Platoon hits region-free Blu-ray like a napalm burst, its impact bolstered by a mostly excellent transfer that brings out the lushness of the environment and explosive beauty of the war ... and all of its horrors with a savage and clinical eye. Intensely moving and powerfully exciting, this is the sort of film that demands to be seen – an accusation and an epitaph at the same time. With all of its sweat, blood and tears intact, the film remains an inflamatory masterpiece and its transition to hi-definition marks a worthy upgrade from previous editions. The video transfer is faithful and helps to make Robert Richardson’s wonderful photography all the more evocative and shudderingly immersive. Audio-wise, the film’s original sound design was never going to win any plaudits when compared to more modern fare - even so, this lossless incarnation has a few niggles that I would say are inherent to the source. But the point is that it still sounds better than you've probably heard it before. We may lose the Tour Of The Inferno documentary, but this remains an exemplary overall package that celebrates an extremely powerful motion picture.
The cast all shine in what are difficult and testing roles, and the film made icons out of Dafoe and Berenger. But this is not to lessen the impact of Charlie Sheen’s epic portrayal of confusion, anxiety, rage and shell-shocked reconciliation that forms the heart of our own disturbing journey as we look on, utterly helpless. Oliver Stone is one of the most committed filmmakers to have studied the American Myth-conception but, for me, he peaked very early on with Platoon. He trawled through the aftermath of the events we see here with Born On The Fourth Of July, and segued into the cultural left-field with The Doors – both excellent films. Yet nothing quite grips, upsets and galvanises like Platoon.
Riveting, emotional and superbly iconographic, Platoon is essential.
Read the full review...