The Other Side of Vietnam: What Apocalypse and Platoon didn't show us.

Rating: 10/10 (20 April 2007)

I don't want to say something like "Deer Hunter is the greatest Vietnam movie ever!" because that is not necessarily the case. It's different then most other Vietnam movies. That's for damn sure. Platoon and Apocalypse Now gave us a good picture of what it was like to be in the war, but Deer Hunter shows us what happened after. If you are wondering whether or not you should see it, then I would definitely recommend it, just for the comparison.
But The Deer Hunter is also worth a watch for just for its merit as a film. It deserves a place on all top 100 lists. I have not been this moved by a film in awhile. It's one of those films where, at the end, the credits roll and you cannot seem to stand up or turn off the TV. You have to sit there.
Also, watch out for the acting. Every character is masterful, even those with only a line. You will remember them. Deniro is as great as ever. I don't think he changes his expression the entire film, and yet he makes you feel what is going on in his head. And Meryl Streep... well, she's Meryl Streep. In every role I see her in I can't help thinking that she embodies her characters more fully then any other actor I have ever seen. This is the case in Deer Hunter as well.