Charlie Sheen wrote:
To be fair with Platoon it was the first of a trilogy of films Oliver Stone did about Vietnam. IIRC Platoon was done from the perspective of a US soilder fighting Vietnam, the 2nd is 'Born on the 4th July' which tells the story of a soilder who comes back from Vietnam disabled only to find the country he loyally served has abandoned him, and he goes on to become one the biggest opposers of the war (its based on a true story). The 3rd is 'Heaven and Earth' which tells the story from a young Vietnamese girl who is left traumatised by what the Viet cong and the American Army does to her and her village. She ends up marrying a American black ops soilder (who is driven to alchololism and the brink of insanity because of the evil things he's done in the name of his country) and moving to America. The film is one of the most harrowing films I've seen in recent years.
If you take Platoon as one film it can seem like its white washing over some of what actually happened, however if you view the films as a trilogy its easier to understand what Stone was trying to say.
I
almost agree. But here's the thing. The movie business has no loyalty and long-term thinking is mostly out of the question. Leaving aside the issue of whether Stone planned a trilogy from the start or chose to make further installments during or shortly after
Platoon neither he, nor the studios, could - in any way - guarantee such being filmed before or during the production of
Platoon.
Consider George Lucas and
Star Wars. He may claim he always intented to make three or six or even nine
Star Wars movies (there's considerable debate over this) - but the fact is there wasn't a studio in Hollywood that was prepared to green-light
The Empire Strikes Back before Star Wars was released. Indeed, many - including Lucas' closest friends - were skeptical
Star Wars would make a penny.
So, given that there was every likelihood Oliver Stone wouldn't or couldn't make sequels to
Platoon he should have addressed the issues I raised in
Platoon. Even if only in some modest way which he could explore further - given the opportunity - in future instalments.
