From near-disaster, a great war film rises

Rating: Null/10 (11 July 2003)

Negative first: Brando nearly ruins the whole thing (there's more of him in 'Redux') with his laboured posturing. I could understand what he was trying to portray, but surely it did not need to be so cumbersome. The worst part is that when he gets it right, it is genuinely eerie and captivating. And maybe the reason for going up the river is a little strange, but it is easily accepted by this viewer, given the majesty of the rest of the film
The balance of the film up to that point is brilliant, managing (with or without the knowledge of the mayhem that enveloped the shoot) to truly represent the insanity that war creates and that soliders have to wear in order to survive. What really shines throuigh is the various forms that the insanity takes. Martin Sheen is far removed from his West Wing role, a soldier who is co-dependant on the jungle and the horrors it brings and as such is a complete burnout, unsure of what happens when the troops go home. The crew of the boat are all showing the strain in very different ways, which makes for a riveting journey up the river, seeing who is going to cave in next.
Add a surreally located Playboy show, Robert Duvall as the barnstorming Kilgore, hogging all the best quotes within the first hour and one of the best soundtracks you are likely to hear (it perfected reflects the war, which it should given that most of the songs are of the time), and you have one of the best movies about the stupidity of war that you'll ever see.