Walken, De Niro and Streep make this an essential viewing

Rating: 8/10 (3 March 2007)

The Deer Hunter is most of all a character study. This is why it was absolutely necessary to find the right cast. And the right cast it was. Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and Chris Walken deliver memorable performances and demonstrate their tremendous acting potential.
The film though is not a masterpiece as so many people claim it to be. It takes off due to the performances, for sure, but the script is not that strong. I've found it somewhat incoherent, more of a collection of strong scenes than a flowing story. Also you can't fail to notice the sub-par sound quality and editing.
So don't miss it, you have three Oscar-caliber performances in one movie, but having very high expectations may leave you disappointed..