The Extraordinarily Brilliant Concept of William Hurtz

Rating: 10/10 (26 December 2008)

I first saw this movie about 8 years back - and as I remember I had rented the movie after reading the rave reviews. I probably rushed through the movie and simply didn't get it (this was the original 1979 version)... I just thought that it was obscure and incoherent. Recently I visited my library and after looking through the available DVDs stopped when I saw a copy of AN - Redux. I hesitated for a long time before I decided to check it out... after all I did not want to waste 2-3 hours of my valuable holiday break. I watched the movie which lasted about 200 minutes and I did not miss a moment in time.
The beauty of the film was the screenplay that built up the image and stellar qualities of Col. Hurtz (Brando). Every moment in Willard's (Sheen) long journey was an opportunity to understand the intelligence and brilliance of Hurtz from a philosophical perspective.
Hurtz is a highly decorated All American hero set to have an illustrious career even before the war. But the excesses and more over the general ineptitude during the war breaks him beyond repair... Willard's journey is an effort to understand the general operating strategy (or non-strategy) and the excesses of a war terribly gone astray with the ultimate aim of understanding the horrors of the Vietnam war (or any war for that matter).
Robert Duvall is one of the stalwarts of American film industry and he most certainly did not disappoint in this one. He brilliantly portrayed the excesses during the Vietnam war. Kilgore (Duvall) is a very brave soldier who probably would stand-up and fight under any circumstance but the problem lies with the moral standards... the standout dialog was the utterance of "savages" by Kilgore for the potentially suicidal bomb attack by the Vietcong sympathizer when the savagery was probably initiated by Kilgore.
I have seem some comments here that did not put the redux version of the movie in its best light... but let me tell you that this version made a big difference for me to understand the film and the underlying message better... especially the French episode and the extended coverage with William Hurtz.
The gore and the surreal feeling is indescribable when Willard finally ends up in Hurtz's territory. The power wielded by Hurtz seems unreal but stands paramount amid his moral standing. The impending doom and inherent realization of the inevitable is palpable all along. Hurtz lets his assassin to linger long enough to let his reasoning and philosophy be understood before allowing to end it all.
Marlon Brando was magnificent as Hurtz and I cannot imagine anyone better for the role. If you have 3 hours to burn please do not hesitate to watch this masterpiece. This film will enrich you.