Platoon
is the first film in Oliver Stone's Vietnam Trilogy, a collection of films that
may not be directly related aside from setting, but can be nonetheless seen
as three differing viewpoints of the Vietnam War. Platoon begins with
Chris Taylor, a semi-autobiographical representation of Stone, being airlifted
into Vietnam by helicopter. Accompanying the images is a voiceover letter to
his grandmother, which continues throughout the film. Taylor is immediately
thrown into combat situations. A battle soon follows where another new soldier
is killed.
Soon after, a conflict develops between the two dominant leaders in the platoon. Sergeant Barnes is an aggressive, violent and seemingly uncaring individual whose only motivation is victory. His opposition is Sergeant Elias, a kind soldier who cares for his men despite is loss of faith in the cause. Taylor soon joins Elias' faction following a session of drug use, Elias being one of the "heads." The tension within the unit builds until there is a near massacre of a Vietnamese village. Barnes shoots an old Vietnamese woman and threatens to kill a young girl. Elias intervenes and they fight.
Soon after there is a large battle and Elias becomes separated. Barnes volunteers to get him but shoots him instead. He tells the men that Elias is dead, but Taylor knows better when he sees Elias chased by the Vietnamese and gunned down minutes later. The platoon becomes completely divided between Barne's supporters and dissenters. The tension continues until the end when Taylor, struggling with the death of Elias and hatred for Barnes, guns down a wounded Barnes in cold blood. He is wounded himself and leaves Vietnam by helicopter.