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Rating: 9/10 (16 September 2011)

Difficult to encapsulate a three-hour epic which essentially essays two divergent genres; the first hour a drama that establishes the characters as relatively care-free steel-workers in Pensylvania, bonding as deer hunters in their spare time, who volunteer to tour Vietnam, a decision that results in catastrophic consequences for each in different ways. The next hour is a war zone; captured by the enemy, and forced to engage in Russian Roulette, their experience manifests differently in each character - Savage virtually disintegrates, Walken is left battle-scarred and eventually drug-addled, while the once outgoing DeNiro emerges as the most intact.
The final thirty minutes illustrates life after the events, a devastating reality that nothing will ever be the same again; DeNiro's attempt to rescue Walken from his catatonic existence while sensational, is still moving and perhaps one of the more memorable moments in film.
With classic guitarist John Williams' "Il Cavatina" underscoring, a talented cast that includes young Meryl Streep, and some potent battle scenes (the gritty, almost unbearable tension of the Russian roulette scenes won't soon be forgotten), there's plenty of memorable material that make "The Deer Hunter" a benchmark in film making.