A Deeper Look into the Heart of Darkness

Rating: Null/10 (5 February 2014)

Do you have a favorite movie that you could watch over and over again? What is it about these certain movies that appeal to our senses that makes it so interesting that we could watch them a thousand times over? For me that movie is Francis Coppola's award winning war film/drama, Apocalypse Now. The vast magnitude and vivid scenery of the setting in this movie, as well as the spectacular action scenes and intense social drama plays an impactful role in making this a great film to watch.
The film is set during the Vietnam War and is about the troubled Captain Willard who is on his second tour of duty. He is portrayed by Martin Sheen. As the plot goes we find the Captain sent on a mission upriver on his way into Cambodia to find and kill the renegade and presumed insane U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel Walter E. Kurtz played by Marlon Brando. Through this "minor task" the movie really unfolds. We see the brutality of war. Not just a bunch of yoked up marines firing their M16's. It truly is an emotional piece on the effects of war, not just on the physical body, but also of the soul and of the mind. The story is slow to start; gradually build ups and has a very rewarding ending. Coppola does a great job in involving all major characters in this deep portrayal of men in war, struggling against an unseen enemy as well as trying to get along with those around you. Basically Coppola intended this movie to be more of a study of human behavior, compromises and confrontations, then an all out blood and guts war film.
This movie falls under the list of movies that drag on far too long, it was in my opinion a film that was longer than it should have been. For instance there are a few scenes where music will start eerily playing in the background and the actors will get into certain overly dramatic acting roles, the movie could have gone without these scenes. This movie is intended for the viewer to make his or her own interpretation of what the Coppola was trying to convey. This movie is intended for deep contemplation and thought, rather than for immediate satisfaction.
This movie was released in 1979 and although it is quite old, it remains in the top 50 best movies according to IMDb. The acting was authentic, and quite out of the ordinary at times making it all the more appealing to watch. What would one expect to see when you see names like Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, and other big Hollywood stars. The ending of this movie is simply left for viewer interpretation and just like the rest of the movie there are certain major questions that will be left unanswered. If you are the type that does not like films without the obvious happily ever after type of an ending, Apocalypse Now is probably not a good choice. But what it does offer is a deep perception, and understanding on the stark horror and reality of war.