Film Review A; Apocalypse Now (1979)

Rating: ★★★★

Running Time: 2 hour 33 minutes
Rating: 15
Release Date: 15 August, 1979
Genre: Drama, War
Starring: Martin Sheen, Harrison Ford, Laurence Fishburne
Director: Francis Coppola
Writers: John Milius, Francis Coppola

Plot: Captain Willard, an army captain and intelligence officer, is given a new and dangerous mission after he has come home from his tour of the Vietnam war. The mission; to assassinate Colonel Walter Kurtz, a man who lost his mind and has set himself up as a God among a tribe in Cambodia. Willard must now endure the terrifying and brutal journey during the height of the Vietnam war in order to find almost unlocatable man for a mission that 'does not exist - nor will it ever exist'.


Review: This film is like an onion, there's lots of layers. Everything combines together to really make this film a piece of artwork. Firstly, it's got so many fantastic actors at the start of their careers. I mean, I had no idea Charlie Sheen had a famous papa, yet I was amazed by his fantastic display of acting skills. Sheen really brings life to the character and makes every trait of Willard's so believable; the trauma he's faced, the cold, broken man he has now become, he's on the edge of insanity... and Sheen shows this in the most subtle ways yet makes it so powerful. Not to mention the rest of the star studded cast; Harrison Ford, Laurence Fishburne, Marlon Brando... fantastic casting for the film.

The next layer to add to the film as the absolutely incredible soundtrack! It's like the soundtrack you'd expect to have in a seventies sci-fi and horror film. The music seems almost out of place and makes a real statement, rather than being subtle in the background. This adds to how out of place the war, fighting and man made machinery is in the depth of nature and the jungle.

The storyline is absolutely brilliant. The film is three hours long and it definitely felt three hours long. However, the storyline is intriguing enough to keep it's audience enticed throughout the entire thing. There is depth to a lot of the characters allowing you to either take them at face value or read more into them. Apocalypse Now allows to viewer to make the decision to passively or actively watch it - and either way is enjoyable.

Overall, it's pretty, pretty good. It's a long one meant for Sunday afternoons and a definite must see.