Apocalypse Now: Movie Review

If it's gun-a-blazing action you're looking for then "Apocalypse Now" won't bring much into your high octane fix. The film is a mix of psychological drama and the sad realities that the people affected by war go through day to day. It's dark, it's silly, and it's moving.

Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen) is sent on a confidential and classified mission in the height of the Vietnam War. His goal is to locate and eliminate Green B Whileret Colonel Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando) who has gone rogue and has been leading his personal cult army on illegal missions into enemy territory.

Unlike previous war movies that truly impacted us, "Apocalypse Now" has a totally different approach. Typically, audiences are provided with the grit and grime of war with the shock of real-time gore and death - you know limbs flying off and people dying in a snap of a finger. While there is still death and gore in the film but it really takes a back seat. What makes the film really moving is its portrayal of the longing for war Benjamin Willard and the mostly young and naive characters who get involved with him. The transformation each one goes through on their journey was deeply impactful psychologically and emotionally especially the reality that they will never be the same after the mission. The slow transition to craziness was moving and disturbing at the same time actually. Part of this was the outstanding performances from its cast especially from Martin Sheen. He was able to show various emotions that eventually shows the true nature of his character. At times cool and collected then suddenly deadly and immoral when his mission may get compromised. The biggest disappointment for us would probably be the time we get to see Colonel Kurtz. Not that Marlon Brando gave an great performance (because he did). But the overall climax just felt lackluster against the backdrop of what happened the harrowing and tumultuous first two hours of the film.

Rating: 4 and a half reels





Why you should watch it:
- more than the action, the psychological and inner workings of war will grab you and shock you

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- we felt that the climax between Willard and Kurtz was a bit of a letdown