Apocalypse Now Review

Well, this was certainly a mind blowing movie experience. While the comparisons to “Heart of Darkness” are ever apparent in this film (from the character of Kurtz to the fog shrouded attack on, I think the film delves deeper into the title novella dark subject. I mean, exploring the unknown in Africa is one thing, but going through the warped psyche of a soldier in Vietnam was a far more disturbing picture to analyze. I give special props to Marlon Brando. He was considered one of the greatest actors of all time for a reason and his nightmare inducing portrayal of Kurtz solidified this for me. I felt in the same place as Willard, wondering why a decorated war hero like Kurtz would become this crazed maniac who is seen as a borderline God to the people surrounding him. But what really made this film work for me turned out to be the scenes featuring Kurtz himself. The lack of any light on him, especially in his first on screen appearance, gave me chills and clearly illustrated the darkness that had overtaken him. He was the darkness; a void of terror whose mind could not be analyzed nor explained by anyone. And even if he could be read, would we want to know what makes Kurtz tick? Perhaps, “The Horror” he proclaims with his last breath is exactly the type of horror none of us would ever want to know. All in all, a film to remember and seen by all, Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola.