Great Film

Rating: Null/10 (18 December 2002)

I would rank "The Deer Hunter" alongside "The Thin Red Line" as the best war movie that isn't just a war movie. "The Deer Hunter" is about Vietnam, but it goes far beyond that war to explore the interplay of three archetypes of the human condition. There are very few actual combat scenes in the movie, which helps keep the viewer focused on the characters rather than the dynamics of any particular battle.
Also worthy of note are the film's hunting scenes. The film is called "The Deer Hunter," after all, and a great deal of effort went into these scenes, both the pre-war and post-war hunts. Watch the astonishing beauty of the pre-war hunt. DeNiro's character strides up a rocky crag, rifle in hand, and follows through on his "one shot" motto. Nick lingers behind, content to simply take in the beauty. For those of us who hunt, it pretty much captures the ideal kill. More significantly, it stands in contrast to the post-war hunting trip, where everything falls apart.