The Redux Makes It All The More Worthwhile

Rating: 10/10 (14 June 2015)

"Apocalypse Now" stars Martin Sheen as U.S. intelligence officer Capt. Willard who's assigned to travel to Cambodia during the Vietnam War to terminate the demented Col. Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Kurtz is in the midst of attempting unapproved and bloody operations in the deepest jungles lead by local tribesmen and U.S. soldiers. Willard is joined by staff members Chief (Albert Tucker), Chef (Frederic Forrest), Clean (a very young Laurence Fishburne) and Lance (Sam Bottoms). Willard teams up with loopy Lt.Col. Kilgore (Robert Duvall) and his helicopter brigade and some Playboy bunnies for entertainment purposes and a French family stubbornly not wanting to leave the premises. This leads up to an epic battle against the sadistic Kurtz.
After finally seeing the redux version of "Apocalypse Now", I can admit that it exceeded everything the shorter version of this classic film has to offer. The AFI has ranked it as one of the top film in movie history and I have no reason to argue that analogy in any way possible. It was truly an amazing masterpiece film and I am just so greatly honoured to witness one of the greatest films ever made.
If anyone was expecting a feel-good movie, well what the hell were you smoking? There's no feel-good elements to this film. This is the threshold to hell. The weak at heart is not invited to this party. I'm not trying to be mean, but if you can't take the brutal grimness of this movie, then it's really not for you to see. There are some comical elements, but not intended for chuckling, but for a much darker tone. Martin Sheen truly delivers as Capt. Willard a hired assassin sent on a dangerous mission to track down and kill one of his own kind named Col. Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando who was his demented best), who has now gone on the brink of dementia has developed an operation set up the deepest darkest jungles in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. One thing I don't understand is why couldn't the Army just simply sent him home via Section 8? I mean lots of Vietnam vets fell too dementia during these harsh moments. Robert Duvall as a tough, but eccentric Lt. Col. Kilgore who enjoys the aroma of Napalm in the morning. Every scene that Duvall is in he just steals every scene he's in.
It was very smart of Sheen to take this role, if anything, by the end of this movie, his character should have been rewarded a Silver Star or a Purple Heart or something. I mean he's aboard in a vulnerable navy boat as he crosses the jungle as he eerily gets closer to Kurtz and his insane demesne and as he draws near, I fear that Willard might be on the brink of the dark side himself. With the conditions they're up against, anyone can go bonkers Kurtz, Willard, Kilgore, anyone. You really can't rest on your laurels and say "what will be will be."
By expanding the film to an extra 49 minutes, I don't know what the story would be without the French plantation in Cambodia. I think it would be lost in the shuffle that we see these people argue over issues like politics as they exchange brandy and cigars maybe it's a ploy for Willard to have his last chance in preserving his sanity.
I had a chance to see it on my outdoor theatre. Just the whirling sounds of the helicopters and the explosions of the bombs sound so close to you that it could almost blow up right into your faces. This film is the perfect war movie with great acting, lots of intense scenes and a film that truly won't insult your intelligence. You're more crazier than Kurtz if you choose to neglect this movie.