Long and Overrated.

Rating: 7/10 (3 October 2004)

Best Film and Director? Why? For a 1 hour wedding scene to prove how close and happy 3 friends are? U don't need 60 freaking minutes to showcase something that could be done in 15-20 minutes. Did Cappola need the entire wedding of Talia Shire in The Godfather to prove how Michael(Pacino) is different from his family and isn't involved in the business? NO. He needs a two min. story(an offer he couldn't refuse) and Pacino saying "That's my family Kay, its not me". BOOM. That's all u need!
The funny thing is u don't even truly understand the depth of these guyz friendship cuz so much time is wasted on the female characters, cultural dancing and unnecessary extras who provide nothing to highlight the movie's theme. What's the point in showing drunk men acting like idiots?
The war scenes are too gory and pretentious. BLOOD, not the main characters, is what the director seems to glorify here. After the war the movie is HARDLY about the "3 friends" and more abt Michael(DeNiro) and the effects of war on him. That's the only part where Cimino seems to know exactly what he's trying to convey. U can feel what Michael has gone through.....and his distant/empty behavior is understandable. By this time though, his two friends are completely forgotten until the end where the movie seriously starts to get draggy and u're just thinking "c'mon, let this end already". The screen play is hardly something that would keep u hooked. I got no problem with slow movies that have a theme. But here the director seems confused as to what he's trying to convey. Is this just abt Michael and his experiences at Vietnam? Is this abt his relationship with Linda(Meryl Streep)? Is this abt 3 friends and how the war has changed everything between them?
The performance are def. the best thing abt the movie. DeNiro, although a little wooden and expression-less sometimes, gives one of his 10 best performances. Streep is a total natural and wonderful to see perform. Walken was good, but Oscar material? Uhhh...i don't know.
Overall, The Deer Hunter suffers from length and a poorly written screen play. The wedding + the final half hour of the movie is just too long. The characters would've been able to register a bigger impact had the direction been more subtle(The Wedding), and a screen play that focused more on the 3 friends, rather then just Michael alone.