Platoon Leader (1988)

A young officer, just out of West Point is sent to Vietnam, where the men don't respect him until he gets wounded and returns to be a wiser soldier and a better commander

Director:

Aaron Norris

Writers:

Andrew Deutsch (screenplay), Rick Marx (screenplay)

Stars:

Tony Pierce, Robert F. Lyons, Michael Dudikoff

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Dudikoff	...	Lt. Jeff Knight
Robert F. Lyons	...	Sgt. Michael McNamara
Michael DeLorenzo	...	Raymond Bacera
Jesse Dabson	...	Joshua Parker
Rick Fitts	...	Sgt. Robert Hayes
Tony Pierce	...	Jan Shultz
Daniel Demorest	...	Duffy
Brian Libby	...	Sgt. Roach
Michael Rider	...	Pvt. Don Pike
William Smith	...	Major Flynn
Al Karaki	...	Kemp
Evan J. Klisser	...	Larsen
Evan Barker	...	Klinski
A.J. Smith	...	Lt. Riley
Dean Raphael Ferrandini	...	Medic

Storyline

West Point graduate lieutenant Jeff Knight meets cynicism when taking command of sergeant Michael McNamara's tour veterans platoon in a Vietnamese trench camp. Unlike his predecessor, who hid till the end of his tour, Jeff takes charge, experiences the manual doesn't allow coping with all realities and gets wounded. He returns, now fully respect by men and superiors. Besides the Vietcong, the platoon wrestles with the inscrutable villagers, which the GIs officially protect, but also fear as some collaborate with them, other covertly with the Cong, either way subject to bloody reprisals.

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Plot Keywords:

vietnam | shower | medical examination | male rear nudity | male nudity | 

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Taglines:

War is hell. This was worse...

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Genres:

War | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nam

Filming Locations:

Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,348,771

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon International, Breton Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the few films made by Cannon Film Distributors that wasn't produced by either Menahem Golan or Yoram Globus.

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Quotes

Sgt. Michael McNamara: [after Bacera overdoses, Sgt. McNamara sprays Bacera's lifeless body with multiple rounds from an M-16] The enemy got him.

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Connections

Referenced in Remo, Rambo, Reagan and Reds: The Eighties Action Movie Explosion (2014)

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Soundtracks

Out on the Fenceline
Written and Performed by Fontaine Brown

User Reviews

Well-done and underrated

Originally entitled "Nam," this film was released as "Platoon Leader" to cash in on the success of "Platoon," which had been released the previous year. Unfortunately, this sank it, and most everyone dismissed this is an imitation of the latter film. However, I feel that this might be one of the finest films about the Vietnam War around, and that's due to the fact that it knows the genre of war films and it knows what to take seriously and what to regard as pure action.

In war films, particularly ones about the Vietnam War, there has always been a question about which angle to approach: a human, emotional story or a pure action-adventure. This film handles the question well, and it shows us both. The film covers a new U.S. captain joining a platoon that is set up on a hill with orders to protect a small village. The story of how he must earn the right to be called the captain of such a motely group, and how the men themselves must struggle about just what they are fighting for in this war, is extremely moving. The writers choose to represent many different attitudes, all of which were present in the war: fear, reluctance, discontent, indifference, and honor. Each character is painted vividly and with wonderful acting, and through their tragedy and suffering, the viewer gets a better understanding of what went on during America's darkest hour.

On the other hand, this film also contains some nicely-directed action sequences that know how to get the heart-beat going. They don't neccessarily glorify war, but they are very Rambo-esque, and made in an effort to satisfy action fans. It is the essence of these action scenes, combined with the human characters who have to pick up the pieces of each battle and move on with their daily, emotional struggles, that really makes this film tick.

This film was directed by Chuck's brother Aaron Norris, who lost a brother to the Vietnam War. Indeed, this must have been a difficult film to shoot because of that, but he certainly paid his brother a fitting tribute in this underrated war epic.

**** out of ****