An excellent, dark, chilling classic

Rating: 10/10 (7 June 2012)

It's not a surprise this film is considered one of the best of all time. Right from the start it's compelling, pulling you right in, and as the story paces along it turns exhilarating.
Right from the start the haunting, chilling atmosphere is built and never faults. The musical score sets the scene perfectly.
The script is brilliant. Some of the writing is the best I've ever seen in a film, the voice-over narration particularly. Those iconic opening words - "Sh-t. Saigon." - really stay with you, not like I've ever really experienced before.
But the main point of brilliance is that fantastic scene where the napalm strike is called onto the beach. Not once with a film have I felt so excited and entertained, the whole sequence was heart-stopping. That alone was enough to give the whole film a ten-out-of-ten.
But the excitement didn't stop there. As the story progresses, as we see more, more interest develops. The scenes with the calendar models and the soldiers meeting are compelling, giving us more of an insight of the characters. It's really more than JUST a war film.
It goes without saying that Marlon Brando's performance was simply superb, as with all of his performances. But there isn't a single bad actor in the whole film. Every famous face never faults.
Of course, the film's epic length may be strenuous for some viewers, and less patient viewers may find it tedious, but for me and many others it's a sure classic.
Overall: 9.7/10