Platoon (1986) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?
Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language
As a young and naive recruit in Vietnam, Chris Taylor faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.
Rated R • 1986 • 2h 0m
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, "Platoon" is an unflinching and deeply personal look at the Vietnam War, earning its R rating for unrelenting, graphic combat violence, pervasive strong language, and disturbing thematic material including war crimes. The film's brutal realism depicts soldiers being shot, blown apart, and executed, with significant blood and gore. Pervasive profanity, frequent marijuana and alcohol use by… Sign up for the full guide
Cast
Is Platoon appropriate for kids?
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, "Platoon" is an unflinching and deeply personal look at the Vietnam War, earning its R rating for unrelenting, graphic combat violence, pervasive strong language, and disturbing thematic material including war crimes. The film's… Read more — free account
Content severity in Platoon
What happens in Platoon, moment by moment
- 0:17 ⚔ Violence & Gore 8/10
- 0:28 🍷 Substances 6/10
- 0:36 ⚔ Violence & Gore 9/10
Sex and nudity in Platoon
Contains some sexual content and references, most notably a disturbing scene where soldiers attempt to gang-rape two Vietnamese girls before being stopped; the scene is intense and depicts terror but no nudity. In other scenes, a man's bare buttocks are briefly visible as he runs into water, and a pin-up poster of a partially nude woman is seen in the soldiers' quarters. Suggestive jokes are also made.
Violence and gore in Platoon
Pervasive, graphic, and realistic war violence is central to the film. Numerous scenes feature intense firefights with characters being shot, killed, and wounded with bloody results. Several scenes are particularly brutal, including the discovery of a mutilated body, the coldblooded murder of unarmed civilians, a man being bayoneted, and graphic injuries from explosions and booby traps. The film's iconic death scene for Sergeant Elias is prolonged and intense, as is the chaotic and bloody final battle. A character…
Read more — free accountLanguage in Platoon
Pervasive and severe profanity is used throughout the film, accurately reflecting soldier dialogue in a high-stress combat environment. The word "f--k" is used over 150 times, often in its many variations. Other strong language includes frequent use of "s--t," racial slurs directed at the Vietnamese people ("gook"), and other assorted curses and crude terms.
Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in Platoon
Frequent scenes show soldiers using various substances to cope with the stress of war. A significant subplot involves a group of soldiers (the "heads") who regularly gather to smoke marijuana from pipes, joints, and a bong fashioned from a shotgun. Other soldiers are shown frequently drinking beer and hard liquor like whiskey. Wounded soldiers are administered morphine. Cigarette smoking is constant.
Mature themes in Platoon
The film explores extremely intense, mature, and disturbing themes related to the horrors and moral corruptions of war. Key themes include the loss of innocence, the commission of war crimes (including the massacre of civilians in a village), infighting and betrayal within the platoon, the psychological toll of combat (PTSD), and the duality of good and evil as personified by Sergeants Elias and Barnes. The film presents a bleak and chaotic vision of war with profound moral ambiguity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Platoon appropriate for kids?
Bontent's parent guide suggests Platoon is best for ages 17+. It's rated R. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, "Platoon" is an unflinching and deeply personal look at the Vietnam War, earning its R rating for unrelenting, graphic combat violence, pervasive strong language, and…
What age rating does Platoon have?
Platoon is officially rated R. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 17+.
What is Platoon about?
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, "Platoon" is an unflinching and deeply personal look at the Vietnam War, earning its R rating for unrelenting, graphic combat violence, pervasive strong language, and disturbing thematic material including war crimes. The film's brutal realism depicts soldiers being shot…
Is there sex or nudity in Platoon?
Contains some sexual content and references, most notably a disturbing scene where soldiers attempt to gang-rape two Vietnamese girls before being stopped; the scene is intense and depicts terror but no nudity. In other scenes, a man's bare buttocks are…
How violent is Platoon?
Pervasive, graphic, and realistic war violence is central to the film. Numerous scenes feature intense firefights with characters being shot, killed, and wounded with bloody results. Several scenes are particularly brutal, including the discovery of a…
Is the language in Platoon appropriate for kids?
Pervasive and severe profanity is used throughout the film, accurately reflecting soldier dialogue in a high-stress combat environment. The word "f--k" is used over 150 times, often in its many variations. Other strong language includes frequent use of…
Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking shown in Platoon?
Frequent scenes show soldiers using various substances to cope with the stress of war. A significant subplot involves a group of soldiers (the "heads") who regularly gather to smoke marijuana from pipes, joints, and a bong fashioned from a shotgun. Other…
What mature themes appear in Platoon?
The film explores extremely intense, mature, and disturbing themes related to the horrors and moral corruptions of war. Key themes include the loss of innocence, the commission of war crimes (including the massacre of civilians in a village), infighting and…
How long is Platoon?
Platoon runs 120 minutes, directed by Oliver Stone, released in 1986.
Where can I read the full Platoon parent guide?
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