Platoon Leader

Unlike all of the Sundance film Festival critics on IMDb who give everything a one that isn't Star Wars or Rocky, I felt this was a very genuine and realistic look at a small platoon in Vietnam. Not only was the scope of the movie fairly accurate for what a platoon would have been tasked with doing in Vietnam but I believe everyone in the film played their role well. Obviously there were some tropes and stereotypes but that is an any movie to lend it dramatic affect. If you want to watch a fairly straightforward but nonetheless poignant film about being a soldier in Vietnam then I would recommend the movie. If you want to watch a cinematic masterpiece that only uses Vietnam as a backdrop then just go watch Apocalypse Now.

As a marine in Vietnam, in 1968, I find bits and pieces of this movie right on technically let's start with Explosions... Hand grenades do not make fire balls an M 60 machine gun does not sound the same as an M 16 AK-47s do not sound the same as an M 16 you do not salute officers in the bush. Everybody is not always yelling at each other. Claymore mines are generally not all bunched together Aiming down Generally the gooks did not wear their white straw hats while hiding in the grass or in a fire base you generally have a killing area without trees, or tall grass when using pop-up flares, you do not look at the pretty light or you will completely lose your night vision... Just to name a few they had no tanglefoot or trip flares around the fire base you don't have your shiny dog tags hanging outside of your T-shirt... Other than that I enjoyed the movie.

If you want to see the Vietnam War as it was experienced by a real Platoon Leader, this is it. Authentic, down to the mannerisms, slang, terror and disillusion of it all, this film has none of the wierd phantasms of Apocalypse Now or the left wing political hype of Oliver Stone's Platoon.

Richard C. Caporiccio, LTC, US Army, Retired, former Platoon Leader, 3rd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne), LZ Uplift, Republic of Vietnam from Jan 2 to December 24, 1969.

This movie is underrated probably because of the prejudices held by critics against Michael Dudikoff. Though his acting is widely thought to be mediocre (it is), he shines in this movie. "Platoon Leader" is gripping fare and deserves more respect than it currently garners. It is not just another throwaway Vietnam movie. It is, in fact, entertaining and is required viewing for any fan of action movies. 5/10

PLATOON LEADER is one of Dudikoff's best movies, perhaps because, since it was a rare theatrical release, more attention was given to make sure it was well-done. You really get a sense of what the war in Vietnam was like for the soldiers there, with hair-raising jungle ambushes and close calls. Naturally, the guys at the base don't take too kindly to Dudikoff when he first arrives, but ultimately grow to respect him, something I've really grown tired of seeing in the movies. But the battle scenes are well-executed, the direction by Aaron Norris (Chuck's brother) nothing special but good, and the music heroic and uplifting. War movie fans should enjoy it.