Elias; In the films climatic battle, instead of relying on the safety of his foxhole, Chris leaves to engage the enemy in hand to hand combat; Ultimately, he ends up murdering Sgt. Barnes questionable account of how he earlier found Elias dead in the jungle, prompting the following exchange of dialogue between Chris and other platoon members: However, what makes thefinal narration especially impactfulis that Taylorsuggests he'll figuratively remain on the battlefield for the rest of his days, and imagines Eliasdoing the same while battling Barnes for the possession ofhis [Taylor's] soul. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history. Hes escaped death so many times he seems to have passed beyond humanity. (NEWSWEEK, 1/5/87, p. 57, David Ansen with Peter McAlevey). He grins, finding their reactions funny. You got no proof man. Sgt. Barnes blames it on the way the men acted, and he gives them a lecture on how they need to be and act when they are on a nighttime ambush: He is a naive and overly idealistic infantry enlistee that has dropped out of school and joined the war in order to gain a sense of pride about himself; to do his share for the U.S., and to become anonymous like the rest of the men in his platoon. Obsessed with the idea of an international communist conspiracy, Truman and his advisors contended that Stalin, Mao, and Ho were united by the single ambition of world domination. (Martin, Roberts, Mintz, McMurry, and Jones, p. 922) By the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s, America was financing a major portion of Frances war in Vietnam. In Platoon, Stone suggests that Taylor kills Barnes because of various factors, with the most obvious being that Taylor himself is now an unforgiving killer, a man forced to extremes in the heat of war. Barnes. Only I know about death. Whenever Sgt. For as intense as Elias death scene was in Platoon, it took relatively few takes; it only took three or four tries for Dafoe and Stone to capture it. Vietnam War Movies That Best Show the Realities of the Conflict. More can be read about him here. After the aerial bombardment, he wakes up from a state of unconsciousness, picks up an enemy rifle, and aims it at Barnes. How often do soldiers get sent home as opposed to a medical care center to return after they have healed? If look closely at Dafoes left hand, you can see him carrying the squib detonator, which he used to set off the devices attached to his wardrobe. By the end of the film, Chris also becomes profoundly aware that war is not the type of endeavor that will give him a sense of pride. Chris seeks to obtain revenge against Barnes for murdering Elias: Sgt. In the game of Cold War politics, Vietnam became a pawn. Edit, No, it's anti-war. Taylor is using "fathers" as an allegory to describe the darkness and light we all posses. Maybe I can see something I dont yet see, or learn something I dont yet know (Stone, p.14) Revealing mistake: During the fight scene in the village between Elias and Barnes, as they roll around on the ground, Barnes "hits" Elias with a right hook and Elias's head is thrown to the side as if he just caught a serious blow. Sergeant Barnes life revolves around performing a certain way while in countryfighting the deadly Viet Cong. Recollections are the standard by which growth is measured in the subjective story. He has become so dehumanized and corrupted by the experiences of the war, he is willing to shoot his own men to prevent them from challenging his way of war. (Stone p. 21) Thats a good Gook, good and dead. He wants to do for his country what his father did in World War II, and what his grandfather did in World War I. When Barnes suspects the villagers of being Viet Cong sympathizers, Barnes viciously shoots and kills the wife of the village chief, and threatens to shoot the chiefs young daughter as a means of coercing information out of the chief about the Viet Cong. Six of you boys against me. While they are leaving a wounded Elias emerges from the jungle running from a group of North Vietnamese soldiers. Is "Platoon" based on a book? Chris thought the war would mold him into the type of man he would be proud of, instead it has dehumanized him to the point where he is willing and able to commit the murder of his commanding officer in an act of revenge. | . It seems every time the platoon comes into contact with the enemy, they lose livesnot uncommon in war, but there doesnt appear to be any clear victories to counteract the losses. CHRIS: Yever get caught in a mistake King and you just cant get out of it? M79.Final BattlePvt King (Survives): His tour of duty ends just before the battle. Platoon -The 1986 Drama movie featuring Charlie Sheen and Willem Dafoe at the award winning 80s Movies Rewind. Critics consider Platoon to be rife with religious symbolism. Barnes finds Elias and shoots him three times, returning to tell the others that Elias was killed by the enemy. Emotions are riding high, and everyone adopts a hard-line treatment of the villagers. Three or four squads make up a platoon, which has 20 to 50 soldiers and is commanded by a lieutenant. Barnes is killed by Taylor in the end, where Taylor does a typical "Barnes" move by killing those he is supposed to stand strongest with. Would soldiers actually wound themselves to get sent home? Elias' decision to report Barnes' criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. Why? In this particular Platoon sequence, Taylor is framed as the true leader or at least someone who is no longer concerned about playing by the rules. Elias ' decision to report Barnes ' criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias ), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. Barnes senses his chance to kill Elias when the two are alone in the jungle, their eyes meet with Sgt. Its purely practical: the helicopters up there, you want to reach for it. Phosphorus shells from our artillery were hitting the jungle, burning white fire, incinerating trees and bushes and whatever stood in their path. For him, an authentic life means stepping down in class; he embraces the same experience as the working-class blacks and white ethnics who got draftedcommon clay, most of them, forgotten men, losers. (Denby 86). Ultimately, Platoonis about survival and legacy. Oliver Stone quite plainly wrote the scene to be reflective of My Lai and probably many other lesser known incidents of misconduct by American military personnel. CHRIS: He killed him. Answer: 7. Theres a lot of suspicion and hate. How many days you short? How close his troops conform to Barnes conception of soldiers, is how he measures his concern of being a role model. He volunteers for the war because he wants to experience his own life, not just observe it like other middle-class college boys (Denby 86). Why does Barnes kill Elias? This young and naive kid who gave up a bright future in college to join the Army infantry had an interesting time after the war. Performing a patriotic service for your country, the chance to take rage and frustration out on the enemy that has caused it, doing drugsthese are types of dividends the men can reap in the platoon. From the very first scene of the film, as black rubber body bags are loaded onto planes that have just unloaded new recruits, Americas success in the war is put into question. The reference to "decorated" can be misconstrued as medals considered to be "worthless." Barnes shoots and murders Elias when the two are alone in the jungle. For instance: Chris drops out of college and enlists in the military to do something positive for his country; He shoots his rifle at the feet of a young, retarded man he finds hiding. In the heat of hand to hand combat, Sgt. Truman willingly agreed to aid Frances ambitions in exchange for Frances support. The most famous is the My Lai massacre, believed to have been perpetrated by Lt. William Calley. RHAH: Wrong? Edit, For two reasons:1) He didn't think Chris had it in him to kill his own comrade in cold blood, and it was his way of taunting him2) If it turned out that Chris did actually have it in him to kill Barnes then Chris will have become just as ruthless and evil of a person as Barnes was. When Chris and the others in the head initially decline to accept Sgt. When the enemy attacks the U.S. compound, the Viet Cong are able to overrun the U.S forces. After an NVA suicide bombing, the U.S. Army changes their strategy and uses air support to take out the NVA. Oliver Stones 1986 film Platoon is considered one of the greatest war films ever made. This also means it has been incorporated into the Dramatica Story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. He's also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor. Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. Sgt. Sgt. Why does Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) call Barnes and Elias his "fathers" during the final monologue. We just dont add up to a rats ass. While many of the others soldiers write basic notes of affection to their girlfriends and family members, Chris writes very articulate, meaningful letters to his grandmother. Why did Barnes shoots Elias? This moment is Taylor reclaiming his own identity and removing Barnes' insidious influence. (Stone, p. 95) After Ibarra saves his life from a vicious crocodile, Elas swears to protect the young man from his enemies, which are legion. The ending of Platoon suggests that Elias and Barnes are symbolic of good and evil forces that fight for the soul of Taylor. Throughout the film, we experience the platoons frustrations, anxieties, and fears of fighting an invisible enemy that the platoon seems to have little to no impact against. The 1986 Vietnam War classic follows the experiences of volunteer soldier Chris Taylor, who quickly learns about the politics of navigating his platoon. During Platoons climax, Willem Dafoes Sgt Elias is chased and fired upon by North Vietnamese Army (NVA) troops. Barnes deems Chris untried battle skills as dangerous, causing conflict between the two. As Dafoe told Yahoo! Aint no time or need for a courtroom out here(Stone, p. 60) Barnes commits causes Chris to abruptly regain his senses. Elias less. We just dont add up to a rats ass. . When the platoon takes some gruesome losses, an enraged Barnes kills some Vietnamese and orders the burning of their village, outraging the temporarily absent Elias. Unlike Elijah, however, he was not successful in his goals. He is one of the four dead bodies under ponchos. Chris eventually transcends the wisdom that brought him to Vietnam and he becomes enlightened by his experiences in the war. Barnes : Y'all love Elias. coming up on Chris, who is soaked now from head to foot in sweat, dizzy, feeling sick, about to vomit: So he stabbed himself in order to be taken off duty long enough to be sent home. Elias' decision to report Barnes' criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. He takes the bowl from Adams, smokes it. Chris seems awestruck that his worse fear could have been realizedhe could have been easily killed if there had been enemy troops in the bunker. Its a war where there seems to be no master plan, no big picture and no advances. For most of the movie, Taylor has remained above the fray, so to speak. Barnes is the first platoon sergeant. They drove me crazy with their goddamn world, Grandma, you know Mom, I dont want to be a white boy on Wall Street, I dont want my whole life to be predetermined by them. Company-sized units, 130 to 150 soldiers, are normally commanded by captains. Platoon was inspired by Stone's real-life experiences at theNew Year's Day Battle of 1968, and the director himself makes a cameo during his cinematic recreation. Does Johnny Depp speak Vietnamese? If they had they would have run Barnes was at the eye of our rage - and through him, our Captain Ahab - we would set things right again. BARNES: Theres the way it oughta be and theres the way it is. People like Elias get wasted and people like Barnes just go on making up rules any way they want and what do we do, we just sit around in the middle and suck on it! WOLFE: (a hesitant gesture, to Ace on the radio) Get me Barnes(to Elias) Sounds pretty far-out to me Lias. His extensive exposure to combat has caused him to develop warped ideals to support his cold, callous, and immoral behavior. Chris Taylor has rebelled against his wealthy, privileged upbringing and come to Vietnam on a quest for self-discovery. (Stone, p. 9-10) Morale among the platoon is bad. There is a lot of speculation whether he lives or dies, confused even more by the fact Depp mentions Lerner dies in a documentary about this movie. One of the most memorable scenes in Platoon was the death of main character Sgt Elias, portrayed by Willem Dafoe. We fought ourselves." Elias runs up to him. Barnes says, Do it! and without thinking, Chris shoots and kills Sgt. smiling as he puts bullets in the Shamans chest. Dale Dye. Members of the platoon feel that if they become more accurate in their efforts in the war, their fortunes will turn and they will win the war. To put an end to his own personal war, Sgt. Barnes: (to all) Yall take a good look at this lump of shit! When the staff sergeant threatens to kill another person,an enraged Elias physically attacks him. Progress for the platoon continues in a devastating downward spiral. There are a number of examples illustrating how Chris prefers to deal with situations externally, and looks for physical solutions to his problems. Sgt Elias represents the good in Christ-like fashion, while the callous Sgt Barnes, portrayed by Tom Berenger, is devil-like. If they were permanently damaged in some way; such as losing a limb, severe nerve damage, etc. By the end of the film, Chris moral integrity has deteriorated to the point where he is able to kill Sgt. They are used as bait to lure the entire 167 Viet Cong Regiment into the open. There is only terror, bone-deep exhaustion, nighttime patrols and the humid jungle, crawling with snakes, insects and the silent Viet Cong. (Los Angeles Times, 12/19/86, Calendar/p. ELIAS: In 65 - yeah. Barnes that Chris and Gardner were not ready for the all night ambush patrol. Is the village massacre based on any actual events? Barnes and Sgt. His wisdom in understanding the unfair pattern established by society and the government to favor him, while subjecting the less fortunate to the lions share of military duty bothers Chris and provokes him to enlist in the service. Whereas, for Sgt. It's possible Francis' tour was close to being over. (Stone, p. 87) This is illustrated time and again throughout the film. Elias leads Chris to conclude that Sgt. Barnes declares that he will go back to find Elias. New posts New media New media comments New resources Latest activity. KING: Way out of anything, man. Tonight. While the platoon is extracting via helicopter, they glimpse Elias, mortally wounded, emerging from the treeline and being chased by a group of North Vietnamese soldiers, who kill him. The cost of being relates to the men in the platoon losing their identities and having to behave in a certain way. During that 10 month period an estimated 600,000 French and German soldiers became a casualty. Car-15. In Platoon, the narrative constant is always chaos. I know he did. In an alternate reality, "Platoon" may have starred Jim . Barnes immorality that brings about the deterioration of Chris own psyche. Elias, he begins to consider Chris as another crusader that wants to challenge his authority. They are the internal moral pillars all humans have that determine whether man's innate capacity for evil is realized or not. Chris Taylors strong sense of moral obligation and lack of self fulfillment has brought him to the Vietnam War. From none of you. If you look you can see it is full. Barnes attempts to kill him, he finds Barnes crawling on the jungle floor. Based on Americas record in wars of the past, American forces engage in Vietnam confident they will be able to take control of the country; As soon as the new recruits land in Vietnam, they are exposed to the numerous body bags containing the remains of soldiers that have been killed, signifying the extent to which the American forces are struggling; Reports of other platoons and military forces that have already been overrun and destroyed by the Viet Cong reinforce the problems the U.S. is facing in trying to win the war; When the platoon is set up in a crossfire ambush, Elias explains he has experienced this tactic before in the past and knows what the enemy is trying to do, and that he also knows how to counteract this ambush. Sgt. Elias tells Barnes that they don't know anything, and they are probably going to run into something. User Reviews (to Doc) Doc, tagem and bagem. CHRIS: Didnt make much sense. Get that other cherry up here, Gardner! Dramatica is a registered trademark of Screenplay Systems Incorporated. Later, Chris tries to convince Rhah, King, and others in the head that Barnes killed Elias. Edit, Rhah and O'Neill are the only prominent characters left, as neither got so much of a scratch in the final battle. Elias is missing in the jungle, Chris sets out to find him until hes stopped by Sgt. Elias' decision to report Barnes' criminal conduct at the village precipitates a rift between the members in the platoon (some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias), and ultimately causes Barnes to kill Elias. He was cruel and willing to kill those he was tasked with protecting. In his rage, he even tries to kill Taylor. Given the United States track record and reputation for military dominance throughout the world, the Vietnam conflict is a confusing time. When Chris Taylor first arrives in Vietnam, he is basically a naive, idealistic, young man who has dropped out of college to enlist in the militaryhes signed up for infantry and combat. From none of you. The morale in the men is low - a civil war in the platoon, half the men with Elias, half with Barnes. Bunny refers to himself as "Audie Murphy". Entdecke Platoon (DVD, 2009, Special Edition Single Disc Version) in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! All this slows the platoons torturous excursions through the smothering jungle. Alternatives to LiveJournal for students. Thenarrative may indeed be faithfulto the filmmaker's experiences, yet there's still an overtwhite hero vs.Black coward dynamic, which surely won't go unnoticed by modern streamers. Barnes lost control of his emotions and men at the worst possible moment, which had he not murdered Elias would've taken him and several of his platoon out of the fight. Gas Prices In New Mexico 2019, La Quinta High School Lunch Menu , Platoon Why Did Barnes Kill Elias , Tom Bulleit Net Worth , Krylon Roughneck Oilfield Thread Spray , How To Tell If Whirlpool Dryer Motor Is Bad , Gas Prices In New Mexico 2019 , Junk Pickup Dates Louisville, Ky 2021 , Polyphase Fir Filter Implementation , ">. Francis - portrayed by Living Colour frontman Corey Glover - emerges from a foxhole and correctly determines that help is indeed on the way. CRAWFORD: You volunteered for this shit, man? Chris proves to himself he can soldier as well as any man; what he doesnt bargain on is the experience of killing in cold blood. Early on, it's revealed thatBarnes actually has more internal power than Lieutenant Wolfe (Mark Moses), whichestablishes Berenger's facially-scarred character as theAlpha Male. Everybody knows whos really in charge of the platoon. Only when Elias brings this fact to his attention does the Lt. realize the platoons pressing danger; when the platoon falls into an ambush, Lt. Wolfe causes an air strike to hit his own men by giving the wrong coordinates to air support. Barnes, the cold-blooded platoon sergeant. (Stone, P. 24) Directed by Oliver Stone, Platoon ends with violence, betrayal, and retribution within a United States Army infantry unit. France wanted Vietnam. This is illustrated when Chris puts a stop to some of his fellow platoon members who are raping young girls they have abducted from the village, and denouncing the men for participating in such dehumanizing behavior. Lias, he was full of shit, Lias was a crusader - I got no fight with a man does what hes told, but when he dont, the machine breaks down, and when the machine breaks down, we break down and I aint gonna allow that. Instead of finding something to be proud of, Chris leaves Vietnam having become dehumanized and morally corrupt. I say we frag the fucker. After Sgt. When George C. Scott delivered his tour de Operation Desert Storm officially began on January 17, Sign up for our newsletter and receive the mighty updates! Barnes has engaged in. For the all night ambush to work as effectively as Sgt. Barnes. In the final scene the dead arent even in body bags. Yall know about killing? But in actuality, he doesn't know for sure that Sgt. Shortly thereafter, Sandersen and Sal are killed by a booby trap in an abandoned Viet Cong compound, and Manny is abducted, killed, and mutilated by the enemy, and left strung up on a tree trunk for the platoon to find. The explosions occurring around Sgt Elias as he makes his mad dash across the Vietnamese jungle were meticulously planned out beforehand, to ensure the scene not only looked spectacular, but that Willem Dafoe was safe as he performed his lines. Elias tells Chris he thinks the U.S. is going to lose the war: Its also the first time weve seen Chris crack a smile. What many might not know is that the pose wasnt planned out beforehand. (Stone, p. 95) BARNES: Theres the way it oughta be and theres the way it is. Barnes confronts Chris about Elias, and challenges Chris and the other men to try and kill him. 5 Reasons Why You Need To Pay Attention To State Tax Nexus Laws Today. These lines obviously reference the internal conflict amongst his unit, and Taylor statesthat the Vietnam War will always be with him. Hes able to make observations that other people miss. How many days you short? Chris is obviously opposed to, and appalled by, Sgt. Barnes possesses the unique ability to pressure Chris and others in the platoon to think a certain way. O'Neill argues back, and Elias tells him to take a break and not be a prick every day. The light also shines on his eyes, giving them a devilish glow. BARNES: What you waiting for? The day after suffering its most severe casualties, the platoon and several companies are sent right back into the same enemy-saturated area. Just keep your pecker up and your powder dry, things change. During the run, however, some went off, while others failed, although viewers were unaware of this. With his unique perspective, Stone filmed one of the most iconicdeath scenes in cinema history the dramatic end of Sgt. Maybe Ive finally found it, way down here in the mud. Barnes is obviously affected by the deaths of more of his men, enough so to make him momentarily lose his tough, military sergeant facade and expose a slight vulnerability. The light also shines on his eyes, giving them a devilish glow. | WOLFE: (to Barnes) Who do you want on ambush, Sergeant? There are many times when Barnes views Taylor as a hindrance and liability to the platoon, and he ultimately tries to kill him. The mens essential natures are not suitable for war and it takes its toll, best seen in post-traumatic stress. As soon as they disembark from their plane, they are greeted by piles of body bags and the mocking pity of bypassing veteran soldiers happy to be on the next departing flight. Oliver Stone set up several cameras to capture the drama of the moment that gives you chills. Despite US military opposition and the rumblings of revolution in the Philippines, Stone was able to film his movie, and the jungle provided the perfect backdrop from Elias mad dash from the North Vietnamese troops who were pursuing him. BARNES: (to all) Yall take a good look at this lump of shit! Here's how the final action plays out in Platoon, andwhat it all means for the bigger picture. , comic books, and looks for physical solutions to his problems knows whos really in of. The Morale in the jungle, their eyes meet with Sgt the moment that you. 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