"And outside, the silent wilderness surrounding this cleared speck of the earth struck me as something great and invincible"

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2013)

I saw Apocalypse Now almost two years ago, before I really got into film. I had previously seen Saving Private Ryan, and loved and respected it. I was in disbelief it wasn't the #1 rated war film on this website, so I sought out Apocalypse Now.
I hated it. I hated Apocalypse Now so much. It wasn't boring, and cheesy, or even pretentious- it was just wrong. But over the next few months, something changed, and it really grew on me. And it grew. And eventually I realized: I loved Apocalypse Now. I bought it on Blu Ray, the tremendous 'Full Disclosure', and just saw it again because one of my classes is studying Heart of Darkness.
I was right.
Apocalypse Now is more than just the greatest war film ever, it is one of the greatest films ever, period. A tower of cinema, an achievement in both the technical and artistic fields.
In the Vietnam War, parallelling Conrad's original ideas in Head of Darkness, Cpt. Willard returns to Vietnam and is given an assignment to kill Colonel Kurtz, American war hero. But after the first act, the war is really stripped from the film. Context is established. It's bigger than that.
From start to finish every aspect of Apocalypse Now aims for absolute perfection. The opening montage mixes helicopters, Willard's hotel nightmare, and The Doors. Not The Beatles, not the Stones, but the Doors' raw, controversial track, The End. We learn who Willard is, and over a really unnerving tape, about who Kurtz is. Or may be. There are beautiful shots of vast forests and mountains, more intimate walks through the jungle and of the river, brilliant lighting of characters, horrifyingly beautiful sets with hanging bodies, ancient ruins and bizarre alters. The sound quality is without a doubt the greatest in film. Apocalypse Now is more than a film with a plot and an idea, it's an experience. No credits, no titles. Nothing to distract.
And in the end, what does it come to? Knowledge, perspective, accidental strength from the weakness of others. What, where is freedom? It isn't spelt out exactly what the intent is, but there are several, and having knowledge of the source material is a huge help.
A second chance is one of the biggest rewards I'v ever given myself. To experience Apocalypse Now again, in a new light, is an experience I needed. An amazing piece of art. 9.7/10