Review of Apocalypse Now (1979) by Mason B — 16 Aug 2014

Quite possibly the greatest film ever made, Apocalypse now is a masterpiece in every possible sense of the word. On one level it a flawless adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, ditching the setting but leaving the central story.

The tale is a of a man traveling down a river towards a man named Kurtz, while chaos and violence uselessly form around him. On another level Apocalypse Now captures the story's surreal and cerebral atmosphere.

There are scenes where Coppola seems to have literally filmed a nightmare. Then on another level it is a vicious critique of the Vietnam War. In every scene it captures the loud and aggressive uselessness of the whole conflict.

No one knows what they're doing there or why they're there. Everyone is just following orders with no thought. Going even deeper the film is a perfect representation of madness, and the darkness that pervades all of us.

Kurtz has seen the horror of human existence, he has starred into the abyss, and it has changed him forever. Willard sees himself in Kurtz, and recognizes how close he is to becoming Kurtz. Willard himself is played by Martin Sheen, who is giving one of cinema's greatest performances in the lead role, even though he stays silent throughout the majority of the film.

He is joined by a brilliant supporting cast that perfectly fill the screen every second of it's running time. And finally Coppola is supporting all this with some of the greatest set-pieces and visuals ever achieved in cinema.

Apocalypse Now is a perfect film and Coppola's ultimate masterpiece.