Review of Apocalypse Now (1979) by Daniel K — 13 Dec 2012

4: I would call Apocalypse Now overrated, but I would still call it a masterpiece. It was rather interesting watching it for what I believe is the first time since I entered the Air Force. It was also the first time I'd seen it since I've actually visited SE Asia (Thailand four times, Laos twice, Cambodia once, and Vietnam once).

Both of these life events/experiences changed how I viewed the picture. One thing to keep in mind is that it is a Hollywood production and is not meant to be a documentary-like exploration of what the Vietnam war was actually like.

In this sense, it is very different from true-to-history Hollywood productions, both old and new. My guess is it's almost closer to Tropic Thunder on the reality spectrum, but I could be overstating the case.

It obviously looks and sounds great on Blu-Ray. I do think the Redux version adds to the film, but the original, and much shorter, version may still be better. It's a fascinating and eye-opening journey into the heart of darkness and war.

I wouldn't say that I love it, but I can appreciate it. It's rather amusing to compare this to some of Coppola's more recent efforts, such as the awful Youth without Youth.