A Mess

Rating: Null/10 (25 July 2003)

One of the most overrated films ever made. "Apocalypse Now" is the confluence of brilliant directing and horrible screenwriting. Wait, what script? Coppola lifted the most memorable moments from a coffee table book on the Vietnam war (I think most fans of the film don't know this).

War films are problematic from the get go because directors face overwhelming pressures to sensationalize the violence and preach to the audience. Coppola does both. What's worse is by film's end it's clear he doesn't have much to say ("the horror"? come on).
Fortunately so many films have now been made about Vietnam that its intent to be some "definitive statement" has receded and one can now appreciate the artistry. Coppola is a brilliant director and even his train wrecks are worth watching.
This is not a brilliant film, though.