REVIEW 1:
*Warning: This review may be biased. I finished watching this film the weekend prior to writing this review and as of yet, it is the best movie I have ever seen (subject to change, of course).
The Vietnam War was a national example of all-out insanity. The peacekeepers and warmongers were fighting a social battle in the U.S. The soldiers in action were continually developing slight insanity and stress disorders. The Vietnamese in question were wondering whether American help was a good thing. Hippies were stinking up the place and using the war as an excuse to do nothing. Free love, drugs, bands like The Beatles and Woodstock, tie-dye clothes, and long hair were running rampant. If there ever was an event that should have the madness lining its years chronicled for good, the Vietnam War was it. And Apocalypse Now turns to the most knowledgeable source on this historical anomaly: the soldiers.
Apocalypse Now focuses on Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen), an afflicted military assassin who's itching for another chance to gun through the jungle. His wish is instantly granted; he's assigned to "terminate the order" of Colonel Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a rogue commander on the run for genocide and is holed up in a remote location, refusing to give himself up. With his mission in mind and proverbial voice-overs on the brain, Willard rides up the river with a team of crack commandos on motorboats, unaware that he's in for an adventure full of napalm, surf boards, mango pies, Playboy models, puppies, bullet shells, horror, and of course, insanity.
Let me tell you first off: I haven't seen the original cut of this movie. I have no point of comparison in which to rate the two versions, so don't expect it. However, I was very, very pleased with what I saw. I stayed up until 2 in the morning just to finish it. I must warn you, though: such a viewing may cause viewers to go into a transitional state of enlightenment. I did.
The film's music, cinematography, script, and direction all mesh together perfectly. The movie's beginning features helicopters slicing through yellow clouds and napalm ripping through trees as "The End" by the Doors plays on like a burial dirge - scenes like these are a good sign that the rest of the film was contemplated just as much. All of the actors are superb; Martin Sheen got his rise here for sure, and though Brando's role isn't as memorable as the one that made his career in The Godfather, it's nice hearing him talk without Don Vito's husky, unmistakable, and in my opinion, slightly annoying accent for once. True life soldiers have commended the film as the most realistic account of the Vietnam War on the map, or so I've been told.
I hear a lot of people complain about the ending because it's not a normal one, but I can't see why. To me, the whole film is a metaphor for the human mind: stable at first glance, but ending on a broken note, in a state of madness and insanity. I would accept no other finale had it not been as unnerving as the one proffered. It would not fit at all.
To me, Apocalypse Now represents the fragility of the mind and the endurance of the soul. Life was certainly affected by 'Nam in the '60s, but the soldiers were the ones wedged into the rusted works of war. The best movie to reveal the horrors of such an atrocity must adapt its mode of thinking to that of the atrocity, and Apocalypse Now does just that. Personally, I think it knocks the socks off of The Godfather, which beat its rank on IMDB.com's Top 250 list by 30 points (#1, my hairy, zit-ridden ass). Apocalypse Now doesn't deserve #30. That's an absolute crime. Contained in the Top 20, 10, or 5 is understandable. But #30? Give me a boomstick, it's bubble-gum time!
But enough ranting for now. Apocalypse Now spoke to me in a language I could never understand. But I'll keep the words forever, as long as I live, in hopes of translation. Until then, there's only the smell of napalm to think about.
REVIEW 2:
It took practically two years to make. The leading man, Harvey Keitel, was replaced only for his successor, Sheen, to have a heart-attack. Brando was never happy. Hopper always high. Coppola in trouble with the government and the locals. So, it wasn't the smoothest of rides, but God wasn't it worth it!
There are more books written on the incidents during the making of the film than there are about the film. Of course, this movie lives in infamy as "the hardest film ever made", but in my opinion Apocalypse Now is also "the BEST film ever made". It combines suspense, action, drama, adventure, danger and still leaves you wanting more.
When Jim Morrison's haunting vocals kick in just as huge napalm blast lights up half the screen, you know this movie is in a different class. The first 5 minutes is my favorite introduction to a character in film history. The fan blades on the ceiling swing around in sync with the sound of helicopters circling above. Martin Sheen is Captain Willard, a quiet, dark, and sinister man, and he looks as if he carries the darkness on his shoulders. The whole drunk scene is fantastic as Sheen really was under the influence and when he punches the mirror, he isn't acting.
Based on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness the film takes us on a journey through the Vietnam war; we follow Captain Willard on his mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret named Kurtz, played with ease by Marlon Brando, who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe. Willard's orders are: "Kill with extreme prejudice and terminate the Colonel's command." He is sent off down-stream with thousands of papers written on Kurtz, and Willard is shocked at how good a soldier Kurtz is (or was?). On his way through the jungle Willard encounters tigers, Playboy bunnies, tribes, and any number of people caught up in the uncontrollable and horrific situation.
In one scene, the boat Willard and his crew are on comes under attack, a young gunner named Clean, played by 14-year-old Laurence Fishburne, is shot, all while a tape is playing of his mother talking about his homecoming. It is a shocking and deeply disturbing scene showing how most soldiers were actually scared, young cannon fodder.
Willard also meets many interesting characters on his journey, such as the crazy 9th Calvary division Lieutenant Bill Killgore, played by Coppola favorite Robert Duvall, who blasts "Ride of the Valkyries" whilst coming into attack a small village. He also quotes the movies most famous line: "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning!"
Another character, simply known as the "photo journalist", is played convincingly by Dennis Hopper--the photo journalist tells Willard his philosophy on the War. And straight off of Star Wars, Harrison Ford makes a brief cameo. The ex-carpenter had already appeared in Coppola's The Conversation, playing "Colonel G. Lucas" (possibly a little dig at the bearded jedi-maker?).
Eventually Willard meets up with the "mad" Kurtz in the ultimate showdown. Willard's journey is not just down the river but a journey into himself, as he ultimately recognizes an aspect of his own soul in the strange and sinister Kurtz. The whole Brando scene is perfect. The lighting is low so you only occasionally see his face, and you catch glimpses of his bald head whilst he talks about making friends with "fear" and "horror". Completely compelling. But can Willard finish his mission?
Notes and footage taken by Coppola's wife during filming have created the ultimate documentary, "Hearts of Darkness", and is a fascinating and revealing account of the making of this movie. It is a must see for anyone who is interested not just in the film, but film-making in general. The movie won Oscars for Cinematography and Sound, which it was indeed worthy of as both are vital parts of the experience/journey. Apocalypse Now is the ultimate trip. Coppola created a definitive and gritty portrayal of the Vietnam war, the most powerful film of all-time (as well as my favorite). |
