Absorbing, thought-provoking, and a little too surreal

Rating: 7/10 (4 September 2004)

APOCALYPSE NOW is a stunning movie, but it's not exactly a war movie.
The cinematography was spectacular. The acting was mighty fine, with Sheen playing is part artfully and masterfully. The story was absorbing.
My only major gripes with this movie are: 1.) it is a little confusing and takes a lot of mulling over to even approach some sort of explanation to the ending ( -- of course, the lack of logical thinking at the end is the point) and 2.) the movie is too surreal and unbelievable, and it exploits the Vietnam War as its backdrop.
I liked PLATOON a lot more than this movie. While both movies examine the loss of innocence and lack of logic in the Vietnam war, PLATOON is more realistic, more touching, and more truthful. Watch PLATOON for a no-nonsense examination of the horrors of war, and watch APOCALYPSE NOW for its cinematic value.
8/10