Words cant describe it, but I will try

Rating: 10/10 (2 July 2004)

Ill try not to overly praise this movie, but its very difficult. I'm infatuated with it. The cinematography can't be put into words, its the single greatest motion picture achievement these eyes have seen.
No need to get into plot details here. If you haven't seen the movie and you're here reading this, you've read the hype already. People will preach to you about how this is an anti-war movie or an anti-Nam movie. These are the narrow-minded and short-sighted who fail to see the big picture. Thats not to say they're wrong, but they're missing the point. This movie is a commentary on humanity, not one short function of life known as war.
Its not the violence of war that throws Kurtz off the deep end. The war simply provides as a backdrop. Society and human nature is the culprit here. Coppola is not attempting to show us the horror of war, hes showing us the horror of man's violent nature.
Back to the movie itself. I've noticed my favorite films all have narrations by the main character (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, American Beauty are some examples). This movie tops them all in that aspect. Coppolla uses the narration and psyche of Willard to create and detail the character of Kurtz.
We only know of Kurtz that Willard knows, and the suspense is amazing. No one can watch this movie and not be drawn to this character.
Along the way we are taken through hell on the banks of a river. One cant help but wonder what would cause humans to behave in such a way or subject themselves to such conditions. My example here is the bridge scene. You have a group of human beings in a world of s**t. Their existence has been reduced to nothing. They are only there to kill VC's. Their once normal lives back home no longer exist. They are too deep to ever go back.
I bought the Redux version of this film, and I think it makes the original seem more perfect. Every scene that was cut didn't belong. These scenes offered us a more personal look at Willard, and offers more compassion towards him as having a human side (when he steals the surfboard or gets close to the French woman). I personally prefer the cold, stoic character I came to know from the original. It gives the film a darker sense and does more for me. Had the movie been released in Redux, i doubt id feel the same way about it. Kudos to Coppola for knowing what to remove.