apocalypse now , based on the novel " hearts of darkness " , is an extremely striking , gripping , and horrifying depiction of the vietnam war from another angle .
a long debate has surrounded this movie as if it is actually an anti - war film .
in many ways , this debate could go either way .
apocalypse now is probably one of the most memorable vietnam war films ever made .
in addition , now film has gone to the extremes that this film does - a disturbing look at the corruption and terrifying effects of the most devastating war of recent years .
apocalypse now follows the mission captain benjamin l .
willard , played by martin sheen , to seek out and eliminate colonel walter e .
kurtz , a green beret who is thought to have gone insane and set up his own militant base in cambodia .
captain willard is ordered to assassinate kurtz with " extreme prejudice " because he has been deemed a murderer .
willard accepts his mission , but not while pondering the accusation .
accusing someone of murder in this situation is like " handing out speeding tickets at the indy 500 " , as he puts it .
it does n't make too much sense .
escorting him on his mission are a group of men who operate a riverboat .
the men are chef ( frederic forrest ) , chief ( albert hall ) , lance johnson ( sam bottoms ) and mr . clean ( a fifteen year - old laurence fishburne ) .
willard is ordered not to let them know exactly what his mission is , but they all know it is something big .
the men encounter many exciting , dangerous and bizarre situations .
but no situation is more bizarre than the infamous napalm scene with a very eccentric robert duvall as lieutenant colonel kilgore .
kilgore decides to attack and overtake a certain beach area so that his men can surf .
surf .
this is all inspired when kilgore is able to meet the famed california surfer lance johnson .
duvall 's portrayal as lieutenant colonel kilgore is terrific , and , he provides a number of memorable quotes .
eventually , captain willard encounters colonel kurtz 's frightening community full of strange things everywhere
you look , especially his followers .
one of his main followers is a freelance photographer ( dennis hopper ) who attempts to convey the situations to willard .
but willard can not understand the madness that encompasses the colony .
kurtz is actually well aware of willard 's mission , and refers to him as " an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill " .
yet willard is intent on completing his mission , no matter what shocking things kurtz does .
apocalypse now ,
possibly one of the greatest films ever made , is a stunning vision into the madness that corresponds to the vietnam war .
a movie that will hypnotize you with it 's brilliant cinematography , apocalypse now is an outstanding epic drama about the controversial and horrifying ravages of war .
definitely on the " do not miss " list . be prepared for a very memorable film .
a number of memorable quotes possibly one of the greatest films ever made , is a stunning vision definitely on the " do not miss " list . be prepared for a very memorable film an extremely striking , gripping , and horrifying depiction terrific will hypnotize you with it 's brilliant cinematography an outstanding epic drama one of the most memorable