Great acting

Rating: 8/10 (3 July 2003)

I should begin by saying I've never seen the original version of this film, only the extended version on DVD. I really was impressed by the caliber of acting in this movie. The scenes with Brando's Kurtz are truly unforgettable and Martin Sheen as the protagonist is in top form too. Obviously the material they are working from is top notch. The smaller roles like Robert Duvall's and Harrison Ford's were more than serviceable as well. The photography was spectacular too. IF this is the way the U.S. really conducted it's operations in Vietnam I can see why they lost to the more disciplined and committed Vietcong. I don't think we got "peace with honor." I believe that the U.S. Government didn't do all it could to win the war. I think traitors and conspirators whose interests were only their own, not America's, stabbed the American fighting man in the back. One day I hope there is a reckoning. By the way I rate the extended version 8/10. The reason I don't score it higher is that by my tastes it's not a film that I really want to see again. Still it is undeniably a masterpiece.