Phenomenal

Rating: 10/10 (30 May 2006)

The Deer Hunter tells the story of three very close friends, Michael, Nick, and Steve, who decide to go serve in Vietnam after Steve's wedding. The movie describes the experiences of these three men in Vietnam and their experiences afterwards. While in Vietnam, they are captured by the Vietcong and submitted to a game of Russian roulette, which consists of you having to point a gun to your own head and pull trigger hoping that the bullet won't go through your head. The three friends are able to escape one of these "games" thanks to Michael's cunning. However, shortly thereafter, Michael, Nick, and Steve go their separate ways. Michael returns home safely, Nick stays in Vietnam, and Steve comes home without legs.
Like most Vietnam veterans who came home, Michael was a completely different man because of what he had seen in Vietnam. He has a different attitude toward his friends at home and he became more of an isolated figure. All over the country, returning Vietnam soldiers were affecting the towns they came from. Originally proud that their boys were leaving to serve their country, people began to grow uneasy and skeptical of those same boys when they returned from service. However, experiences in war can change a human being and give them a different outlook on life and the main characters of The Deer Hunter.
There was a reason that this movie won five academy awards in 1979. Christopher Walken (Nick), who won for best supporting actor, Robert De Niro (Michael), and John Savage (Steve) are all excellent as the three friends who go over to Vietnam as close friends and come back as completely changed individuals. The Oscar-winning direction of Michael Cimino gave the film its overwhelming emotional intensity and steady pace despite its 3 hour time length. However, the best part of The Deer Hunter is the message that it conveys, which is that no matter how emotionally tough you may think you are, war can break you with ease and it not only affects you but the people around you as well.