A Film that Transcends Its Genre!

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2008)

Let me be frank when I say this: Apocalypse Now is not a war movie. There aren't long, drawn-out gun fight sequences and there isn't a lot of confrontation. However, this film is so much more satisfying for what it truly is. Apocalypse Now is actually a modern retelling of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now reintroduces and builds upon the themes presented in Conrad's masterpiece. For anyone who hasn't read Heart of Darkness, I suggest it. This film separates itself from the rest of the similar Vietnam period films made when it comes to its core concept: its plot.
Apocalypse Now tells the story of a young soldier, Benjamin Willard, played by Martin Sheen, who is sent on a mission to find and "relieve" the renegade Colonel Kurtz, played by Marlon Brando, of his duties. Willard is unsure of what he will find as he makes his way down the river toward the location of Kurtz, and as he travels deeper down the river, he descends into the darkness. I never want to spoil anything so I'll leave the plot at that, but let's just say that there are a fair share of disturbing and memorable scenes.
Of course, the characters are what really bring this whole story to life. Martin Sheen does a great job, portraying the gradual realizations of Willard, and his constant confusion in the midst of two powerful forces. Marlon Brando brings the character of Kurtz to life and accurately portrays him just as I always envisioned him in Heart of Darkness. I don't really want to tell you much about the character though. It's best that like Willard, slowly flowing down the river, you learn more and more as you watch the film. There are some great supporting performances too like Robert Duvall's performance as Colonel Kilgore, a cunning yet maniacal officer, who is best remembered for his trademark line, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." These performances really add so much more depth to this already powerful and pervasive film.
The camera work is great here and what else would you expect from Coppola. Coupled with large rounds of intense music and more subtle touches, Coppola's cinematography really brings the setting of Vietnam to life. The atmosphere is haunting at times yet enchanting at others. It truly feels like we are watching the events unfold from Willard's perspective.
By the end of the film, I was left satisfied and slightly perturbed, much like how I felt after reading Heart of Darkness. The film truly brings another dimension of Vietnam to the table, with classic themes told through the medium of war. Ultimately, this is not a war movie. This is a movie about a man's journey into the heart of darkness and what he finds there. It has its share of sequences with bullets being exchanged, but make no mistake; this film transcends the war genre and adds a novel magnitude to the film culture of Vietnam.