One of the most chilling depictions of the horrors of war and man.

Rating: 9/10 (11 March 1999)

Apocalypse Now is quite possibly one of thee greatest films ever made, and definitely a masterpiece. Not only does Coppola depict the horrors of war, he also examines the savagery which is at the heart of all mankind. Coppola does not show the horrors of war the same way most war movies do. Saving Private Ryan used gruesome visuals and intense drama. Platoon attempted to show the interaction between men, and their loss of innocence. Apocalypse Now is much more creative. The creative approach is perhaps shown best in Roert Duvall's character, Lt. Col. Kilgore. Coppola uses the humor of this man who is so obsessed with surfing, he attacks a village primarily so he and his men could surf there. This was an incredibly creative way to show how a man can become so insane while not becoming detached from relationships with other people. Beyond the depiction of war, Apocalypse Now attempts to show the evil that is at the heart of every man. This is not necessarily to say that all men are evil, however, it is saying that all men are capable of such evil, and are often attracted to it. As the men travel further and further down the river in the movie, the things they see become more savage and insane, as well as the crew itself. So, in essence as they travel further down the river, they travel further into the evil heart of man. This is the main theme behind the short story which the movie was based on, "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. The end of the river is the culmination of all evil. A display of what man holds inside him and what he is capable of. Apocalypse Now is less of a war movie, and more of a journey into the heart of evil.