Recent Reviews for Apocalypse Now
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MCT:May 14, 2008bit of a mad house when it came to filming but to me ultimately a snooze-fest. it just bored the living shit outta me. i aint too into character analysis. i just wanna be entertained
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MCT:May 13, 2008The first 3/4 of the film were very good, but then in the final fourth it went down a whole different path, and didn't fit in very well. But it had great direction, acting, and was very realistic.
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MCT:May 13, 2008APOCALYSPE NOW (1979)
directed by Francis Ford Coppola
starring Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert DuvallĢI've seen horrors... horrors that you've seen. But you have no right to call me a murderer. You have a right to kill me. You have a right to do that... but you have no right to judge meģ
During the Viet-Nam War, Captain Benjamin L. Willard, is sent on a mission, he has to go up a river to Cambodia, to find a renegade Colonel who is now leading what might be perceived as a sect. His mission is to kill the man, who has, on his own decisions, killed many people already.Based upon Joseph Conrad's 1899 short story Heart of Darkness and extremely well adated to fit the Viet-Nam war by Francis Ford Coppola and his writers, Apocalypse Now is a definitive war classic. The horror of war and the insanity many soldiers had to go through is what this film is depicting. None of the characters seems to really want to be there and not of them are still sane.
I am personally not a fan of the Redux version, especially the French plantation sequence which slows down the film a bit too much for my taste. The orginal theatrical release of the film, is the one Im sending all my love to.
The opening scene is terrific. A nice used of the The Doors' song, plus some amazing sound design. That term was actually created for this film, with Walter Murch being a pioneer in that field. The helicopter scene, with Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie is a memorable one as well, and the last fort minutes of so of the film, are simply fascinating, yet the mood is strange and makes you feel uncomfortable in some twisted way. All those scenes or sequences weere shot by talent Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, who uses lights and shadows so beautifully in this film.
Robert Duvall gives one of my favorite supporting performnces of all-time as a Lieutenant Colonel who cares moer about the waves and surfing than the bomb that is being dropped a few inches away. His dialogues are perfectly delivered, making him one of the most memorable characters of the film, despite, a very short apperance. Martin Sheen in the lead role is great, that man should have been a bigger star, but it never happened. Last but not least, Marlon Brando, as the Colonel who simply lost it, is strange, but it serves the film and he is ultimately proving why so many people admire the Brando.
Apocalypse Now is a deep study of the human nature, how much one can handle before going mad. Its also an anti-war film, showing how senseless the Viet-Nam campaign was. Ultimately, I have to admit I admire this film more than I enjoy it, but I cant deny its numerous qualities, which makes up for the slow-pacing, sometimes lyrical, of the film. A surreal experience that isnt to be missed.
ĢIt's impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what horror means. Horror. Horror has a face... and you must make a friend of horror. Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not then they are enemies to be feared. They are truly enemies.ģ
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MCT:May 11, 2008wow what an exellent war movie this is brilliant..imn not sure which is the best war movie made because theres so many good ones 2 choose from..this was just brilliant..this has a great cast of characters throughout the movie..the crazy colonel (robert duvall ) was exellent throughout this movie this has the classic movie quote "I Love The Smell Of Naplam In The Morning" this is definatley a movie THAT YOU MUST WATCH BEFORE YOU DIE because this is just so incredible the scenery of the movie is amazing throughout i think that : Francis Ford Coppola had done an exellnt job of directing this Action & Adventure, Drama movie because you never know what to expect from this movie because its really enjoyable 2 watch throughout..
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MCT:May 10, 2008Everything I'd hoped it would be, up until the end, which didn't do half as much for me as the book did.
The helicopter scene ROCKED. -
MCT:May 9, 2008
"I've seen horrors... horrors that you've seen. But you have no right to call me a murderer. You have a right to kill me. You have a right to do that... but you have no right to judge me. It's impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what horror means. Horror. Horror has a face... and you must make a friend of horror. Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not then they are enemies to be feared. They are truly enemies."
Apocalypse Now is a genuinely revolutionary war movie from legendary director Francis Ford Coppola. The film is a confronting, haunting war epic that is stimulating and monumental. Not only is it a fantastic war movie but it's also the most honest account of the futility of war.
Loosely based on Joseph Conrad's classic novella 'Heart of Darkness'; Apocalypse Now is a film that tells a story set in the Vietnam battlefields. The year is 1969 and the Americans are still battling the on-going Vietnam War. U.S. Special Forces Captain Willard (Sheen) is sent on a confidential mission that officially 'does not exist - nor will it ever exist' to terminate a renegade Green Beret named Walter Kurtz (Brando) who has established himself as a God amongst a local tribe. Captain Willard travels up the Nung River in a U.S. Navy Patrol Boat into Cambodia to carry out his mission. He is accompanied by a faction of soldiers who don't have a clue about the nature of the mission due to its high level of confidentiality. As Willard descends into the jungle, he is slowly taken by the jungle's mesmerising powers. As he battles the insanity around him, the journey slowly makes Willard more and more like the man he was sent to kill.
Apocalypse Now is a harrowing war film that will always be distinguished due to its power as well as its hypnotic, virtually unsurpassed brilliance. The unnerving, unforgettable images only heighten the film's reputation as one of the most graphic war films ever made. It will take days, perhaps weeks, to get over the haunting visual images that are a prominent element of this outstanding movie.
The production was plagued with troubles; including wild weather that destroyed the sets, and the elongated production period due to unforseen consequences. Regardless of this troubled production director Francis Ford Coppola delivers an extraordinary, controversial addition to the multitude of Vietnam War movies. And of course the film was shot beautifully on location; showcasing some utterly gorgeous landscape and some eye-catching dense jungles as well.
However the film is about 150 minutes in length, and unfortunately outstays its welcome and loses the attention of the viewer at about the two hour mark. Of course, it was still tremendously well made but I felt that some trimming would have been necessary. And that's only the theatrical version - there's also a 200-minute 'Redux' cut.
Although my attention was thrown a few times as I was watching the movie, Coppola's directing always ensured there was something fascinating going on during the film. This could be a battle, an absorbing dialogue scene or some haunting voice-over narration.
Martin Sheen makes a very credible American soldier. There is always something about him that keeps the audience enthralled during the scenes of heavy drama. Marlon Brando had already made a name for himself after such films as The Godfather and On the Waterfront. Surprisingly his role is very minor in this movie. Nonetheless his performance is superb. During his final monologue it felt like he was a man on the edge; someone who is very close to insanity. His credibility is never thrown. As Brando aged he only became better. The supporting cast is a mixed bunch of now-famous actors including Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford and Dennis Hopper. All of these actors made an appearance before they became really famous. With this film they are given the opportunity to display talent while still youthful.
Apocalypse Now is a stunning film that will always be not only one of the greatest war movies, but also one of the greatest movies in cinematic history. This Vietnam tale is one that does justice to its source material. Be warned that the film is quite painfully long. -
MCT:May 9, 2008
Absolutely outrageous from Coppola, Technically apocalypse now is without doubt one of the greatest movie of all time. The cinematography, sound were quite brilliant along with stupendous performances from Duvall to Charlie Sheen to Brando. Insanely wonderful.
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MCT:May 7, 2008I know that this movie is some sort of classic, and I'm supposed to like it, but it felt like an acid flashback and the Directors cut lasted approximately 3 days.
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MCT:May 6, 2008
an absolute cinema classic and a truly great war film. this is a psychological profile of life in a blood bath, and each of the actors were on their "A" game. the film gets almost too bizarre by the end, leaving me with an odd feeling about the film, but in general this is truly a phenomenal work. brando plays his character in the shadows to perfection and duval gives a great performance in a small role. one of the classics that all should see.
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MCT:May 4, 2008
This is easily the best Vietnam war movie ever made and it's not even mainly focused on the war. It's more of a journey into the darkness of the human psyche and the soul, done very well I might add. Back in the time when Coppola made really compelling and important movies, this shines as one of his most important works. The whole cast is amazing, and you gotta love the appearance of an out-of-his-mind Dennis Hopper. Then again, does he really play any other type of character? Despite all the troubles of the production of the movie (nearly going bankrupt and an overly-fat Brando, to name a few), Coppola achieved his grand vision, despite how convoluted the Redux seems to be at times.
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MCT:April 30, 2008
A very good Vietnamese war film. This is a film that looks like a horror film as well as a war film when it isnt really a horror film at all. This is a film that I have been told is a total classic and masterpiece from the great Francis Ford Coppola along with the Godfather trilogy. This is a very dark war film with lots of different sorts of characters. An American colonel who goes AWOL and murders villagers of where he lives. He is treated like a god there. Marlon Brando portrays the character really well. He looks a scary guy but he looks quite a soft one aswell. Robert Duvall gave a brilliant Oscar nominated performance as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore. Martin Sheen was alright in this film. I dont think he is a very good actor at all. Could have had a better actor to portray Colonel Benjamin L. Willard. That is one of the things that made me feel disappointed about this film. Other reasons are that the film could have been cut down by a couple of scenes. I really enjoyed the first hour and a half of the film. But when I knew that Colonel Kurtz was going to appear I was excited and nervous about how he behaves after he was going insane. But when he came in I got a bit bored. I expected him to be in it alot more. It is quite strange that Marlon Brando is the leading actor in this film even though he is only in the last 20 minutes of the film. And the film lasts about 2 hours 20 minutes (theatrical version) and 3 hours 22 minutes (redux edition). This was very well directed by Francis Ford Coppola. This probably will be in most people opinions one of the most famous classic war films in film history.
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MCT:April 30, 2008
Origin of the now classic phrase 'Terminate with Extreme Prejudice'.Perhaps. A very dark and at times philosophical movie.
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MCT:April 27, 2008
.... Impressive from Coppolla Genius.
I thought aqbout reviewing this masterpiece but first I had to see it over again.
Probably the one of the most immense Vietnam War epic films, and probably any other war.
It fully realises the chaos and absurdity of this jungle conflict before slipping into the same trap.
Willard (Marting Sheen) is briefed on his final task, an operation which doesn't exist and never took place. Deep in the jungle, over the Cambodian border, Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) has broken away from higher command and formed his own military cult. Citing his obvious plunge into insanity and unsound methods, the military have accused Kurtz of murder and want Willard to assassinate him. Hitching a lift on a Navy gunboat, crewed by youngsters typical of Vietnam, Willard proceeds up the Mekong River.
Meeting along the way a Lieutenant-Colonel who is known for is absurd methods (however though he never backed off the higher officials). Playboy bunnies dropped in by helicopter to entertain rowdy troops, and the inhabitants of a French plantation trapped in colonial times.
This gives Willard ample time to muse his target, an outstanding, and one of the best colonels in the History of the American Army.
Why are the Army so desperate to have him killed?
New York Post | Jonathan Foreman
The breathtaking visual and aural restoration by Coppola and Murch makes the film's original glories even more intense than you remember them. -
MCT:April 26, 2008
Oh...a-MY gawd!
Full review coming soon. (For those of you who were waiting with bated breath on Thursday, I apologize...) -
MCT:April 21, 2008
''I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving.''
During the on-going Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe.
Marlon Brando: Colonel Walter E. Kurtz
Martin Sheen: Captain Benjamin L. Willard
Robert Duvall: Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore
Apocalypse Now is another Vietnam movie that has achieved cult classic status.
Were treated to some of the best visuals in film depicting the horrors of Vietnam.
Martin Sheen does a good job as the lead however i was surprised at how little is facial expressions changed. Having seen Platoon with his son i was reminded of that too.
Theres also some great actors featured in cameos such as a young Harrison Ford, Laurence Fishburne and a brilliant Robert Duvall as a surfing fan Colonel Kilgore.
Marlon Brando took an age to appear on screen the soldier whos become a God in a village, his performance cannot be faulted with such a legendary actor. The result of the journey for Willard is to confront this man he respects and at the same time needs to reach an ultimate conclusion.
There's some great landscapes, music and shots. Playboy bunnies entertaining the troops only for them to get rowdy, Vietcong firing volleys of arrows and innocent civilians getting killed by uneasy troops. Vietnam antics depicted at their most volatile. There's even a cute puppy in the mix which is a contrast to the jungles chaos.
Going back to the songs and music it all seems to gel together and Apocalypse Now is another Vietnam War Movie that's got detail and deserves it's shining status.
The redux version that i watched was great although it was abit on the long side and i was flagging near to it's conclusion.
Still, in a word it's greatness hands down.''Smell that? You smell that?''
''What?''
''Napalm, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.''
''I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end...'' -
MCT:April 20, 2008
A very disturbing film about a very disturbing war in U.S. history, Martin Sheen is sent to kill Marlon Brando and the more he reads about Col. Kurtz, the less he is for sure he really wants to do it. The original cut of the film was far superior to the redux done years later, as the extra 40+ minutes don't add much to the movie. Most people will just remember Duvall's "I love the smell of napalm in the morning..." speech but this film is far much more than that. It's one of the best and more important films in American cinema history.
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MCT:April 20, 2008
If you thought the Vietnam war was a big mistake, or like me you didn't know too much about it except there was lots of drugs, then this well told tale will fill in the gaps and confirm all you heard.
You may recognise lots of lines from the flic too. Our generation quotes them readily.
Very Good! -
MCT:April 19, 2008Maybe I went into this film with too high of expectations but whatever it was, this movie lacked significantly. Basic cinematography, average story (with the book being better), and average acting. I could understand why someone could really like this film but overall, it was nothing special; maybe it just takes a certain person.
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MCT:April 18, 2008
francis ford coppola: "this isn`t a movie about vietnam war but it is the vietnam war"
this sentence offers u everything u need to know about this movie and ofcourse we shouldn`t forget marlon brando. -
MCT:April 18, 2008
Really great movie, it just took a while to get through lol.
But yeah... I wanna get some maaangoes lmao -
MCT:April 16, 2008
the redux version, adds so much more depth to film and charactors, more sheen, brando, duvall, and hopper, and great scenes, of madness, this is the version coppala intended us to see, even if he admits theres more apocolypse now still in him
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MCT:April 12, 2008
great acting by sheen and supporting cast..brando is a bit on the hammy side however...eerie atmosphere and engaging tale..only problem I have is the move takes itself a bit TOO seriously
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MCT:March 31, 2008
Maybe I should have watched the original instead of the extended version. I've seen some long drawn out war films but this one just went too far, most of the time nothing exciting was happening, just random war footage without the action, but after a while I was even bored by the action, the only reason I kept on watching was due to Marlon Brando's part in the story and after sitting through over two hours of the travelling to find him I couldn't get back into the part concerning his character. This film should have been way shorter, maybe then I would have gone into the story a bit more and enjoyed it. A well-made film but no reason to be THAT long.
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MCT:March 29, 2008
Very cool exiting movie, but there is something about the ending that I dont like, i still need to figure out what it is
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MCT:March 28, 2008
Stunning set-pieces, lovable (and hatable) characters and one hell of a scary cameo from Marlon Brando.
