One of the most powerful, moving pictures ever made.

Rating: 9/10 (15 February 1999)

During the first hour of this movie, you are drawn into the lives of Michael, Nick, Steven and their friends. I can't think of another movie in which a close community has been represented so real, so convincing. The Deer Hunter really takes its time observing these people, living their ordinary lives. Some viewers complain that these scenes are much too long, that there isn't happening enough. I don't share their opinion. The strength of this movie lies in the fact that you know the three friends, that you empathize with their feelings and their way of thinking. And all this is accomplished thanks to this first, absorbing hour.
The Russian Roulette-scene is very famous. When I first saw it, not yet 20 years old, I was extremely shocked by it. Never before had I seen such brutal violence in a movie. The tension is so perceptible. The confusion, felt by Nick. The heart-rending fear of Steven. The almost maniacal determination of Michael to get them out.
I'm twice as old now. Lots of movies I liked when I was 20, lost its power of attraction as I grew older. But not The Deer Hunter. The Russian Roulette-scene still is one of the most compelling pieces of movie I've ever seen.
When Michael returns to the United States we witness several other great scenes. Because the first hour gave us the opportunity to get to know the friends who stayed behind in the US, we now understand the enormous gap between them and Michael. Although it never becomes overly sentimental, Michael's coming-home is an emotionally shattering piece of movie.
The actors all are sublime. Lesser actors never could have shown us this much, with so few means. It's absolutely great how they created these real, convincing characters. I'm still amazed that Jon Voight won the Oscar for best actor. I'm sure lots of actors could have created his role in "Coming Home" as good as he did. But very few are capable to do what Robert De Niro did in The Deer Hunter, it's his best role ever. I also was touched by the hardly ever mentioned part of George Dzunda, who played John. It was small, but great!
Unfortunately, I also do have some comment. I really can't understand how Nick could possibly have sent money to Steven. Neither of them knew the other one was alive. Nick never could have known where Steven was staying. I think this is an enormous blunder in the script. I also had some difficulty with the last scenes in Saigon. When you consider what chaos Saigon was in at that moment, the events happening there weren't very realistic.
If these flaws wouldn't have been there, I surely would have given The Deer Hunter 10 out of 10. Now, unfortunately, I only gave it 9 out of 10.