9 War Movie Tricks That Totally Fooled You

9. Philippine Equipment Was Used Instead - Platoon

As said in the introduction to this article, authenticity is incredibly important when it comes to war movies. Yes, an audience will typically have to suspend its collective disbelief for a couple of hours, but with a subject matter as heavy as war, it needs to feel as immersive and real as possible.

For those films that depict the United States' armed forces, the US Department of Defence will often lend a hand, whether that be with equipment, costumes, or location. Typically, this will come as a trade-off, with the DoD being able to look over the script ahead of time and implement changes regarding its depiction of the American military.

This was a benefit that wasn't granted to Oliver Stone when he directed the seminal Vietnam War drama Platoon in 1986. The DoD reportedly felt that the film gave an unglamorous depiction of the US armed forces, and so declined to offer its services.

Instead, with shooting taking place in the Philippine jungle, the production looked to purchase and borrow equipment from the Philippine Military, much of which had already been procured from the US to begin with. This undoubtedly helped in terms of realism and authenticity, and was a factor in Platoon becoming one of the best Vietnam War movies of all time.