Take a journey into the Heart of Darkness...

Rating: 10/10 (29 May 2000)

With the flood of war stories on the shelves of your local video store, it is often hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. This is especially true when taking into consideration the number of films centering around the Vietnam war. This particular film is among the best, however.
Based on Joseph Conrad's book "Heart of Darkness", this is the story of one man's trip into the lion's den. He is given a mission by his superiors, and undoubtedly, it will change his life. From beginning to end, this film is a descent into the madness of war. With fantastic imagery, superb characters, and an excellent adaptation of Conrad's story, this film is tops.
I first watched this film about 5 years ago, when I was taking a history course in University that dealt with the Vietnam war. Well, I was surprised to find that the story many history textbooks tell doesn't come close to the events represented in this book. While fictional, this film put the Vietnam war into a whole new light. It is violent, it is dark, and it is all too real.
If you have never seen this film, what are you waiting for? Many people can't be bothered to see a war film, whether it be due to the violence, or the fact that many of them are the same as any other. This one stands alone, and it does so because it is so much more than a "war film" per se. It is a story of insanity and darkness in times of war. It shows the reasons why many men and women can and do slip from sanity into the depths of insanity in times of war. And it is simply unforgettable.
My Rating: 10/10
After viewing this film, I suggest you watch "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse". It is a documentary of how the film was made, and the many issues and problems that surrounded the filming of this movie. An awesome follow-up effort.