Absolutely brilliant in it's direction. A fantastic piece of filmmaking, with symbolism galore and each scene is a touch on human nature and the psychology of the human mind. I am completely enthralled when I watch this film. The Redux version is a masterpiece. Cinematography is absolutely superb, with light and dark imagery a major force in this film. Acting is mighty impressive. People mention how a lot of the scenes are not realistic regarding a war/military standpoint, but that is the point. Most scenes are allegories, not meant to be taken and seen in a strictly realistic manner.

This all sounds like hyperbole, but I consider this one of the best film's ever created. It's probably in my top 10, top 5, films ever.

A+

PEACE, Mike.

I actually prefer the original version to the Redux due to the latter dragging a lot during the Playboy bunnies scene. I very much enjoyed the scene at the French plantation.

The film has some of the most haunting and original music/sound that I have ever heard. The cinematography is also top notch. I recognize the brilliance that went into creating this film, but I'm not sure its as great as many people believe.

A-.

How they got away with the animal sacrifice scene, I might never know, but it was particulaly disturbing.

Maybe one of the best war movies ever. I dont know another war movie which show so many aspects of war (fighting, politic, emotion, destiny personal problems etc....)
My only problem with the movie is that it is sometimes maybe a bit too "artistic" and the end has a bit a "give Brando another big role" feeling to it.....but whatever when you see it the first time you nearly explode its so exciting.

BTW:Did you know that that badass named Kilgore is Robert Duvall????Well I was pretty mch surprised.

9/10

First of all let's get my beef out of the way. I know this is a really stupid reason to give a movie only 9.5 out of ten instead of the 10 that it deserves, but Marlon Brando bugs me. In this movie, he was on screen for no more than fifteen minutes. He was paid an exhorbitant amount of money and he was nothing but a problem on the set. He was constantly too high to do his lines by heart, he was so fat and out of shape that Coppola had to do his scenes in a different shade of light just to make him look plausible as a soldier. His attitude alone put the film over-budget and behind schedule and that bothers me. When one person thinks he is bigger than the collective whole, it takes away from the experience of watching the film. It was impossible for me to watch Brando on screen and not cringe. He was a disgrace to acting and to his profession and I am glad that he is no longer around Hollywood. Having said all that, I will now get to what is good about Apocalypse Now. And that is everything else.

This is certainly one of the best films ever made and it is so because of how dark it is and how realistic it feels. Martin Sheen is so brilliant that it is scary. And of course who can forget Robert Duval's performance. But what makes this film over the top and the classic that it is, is Coppola's attention to detail. The helicopters flying in the background, the explosions over the horizon, the unseen enemy lurking imminently in the darkness. This is the first war movie that I had seen that made me think I knew what the horrors of war were really about. With everything this movie stands for, it is a shame that it lost best director that year and it is really a tragedy that Kramer vs. Kramer beat it out for best picture. What a terrific film.

Wow, after Brando has already caused Coppola so much trouble, baumer punishes Francis Ford even more by refusing to give "Apocalypse Now" the perfect score, despite the tremendous amount of work and problems that the director had to do and deal with.

I give it an A.

Greatest war film ever? You bet. Not just a harsh reflection on Vietnam, but also a dark descent into madness. It is both about Vietnam and not. The entire mission can be thought of as a journey into the deepest recesses of the human psyche. It gradually grows more and more nightmarish, as the boat passes the horrors of Vietnam, until it finally culminates in Kurtz - as wild and insane as humans can go. It's an allegorical masterpiece.

Agreed. I actually read Heart of Darkness last year for the first time.

Now they don't make movies like this anymore. No wonder Coppola has never made a good film ever again. You can tell he had a nervous breakdown during the film. But the end product is something truly magnificent. The acting is superb all around, and all the actors fall into their respected characters masterfully. Yes Brando is somewhat ridiculous, but at this point Brando new he was the greatest thing ever and knew how to deliver a fantastic performance. But the real standouts of course are Sheen and Duvall. I had never really seen such an old war movie that had brilliant visuals and realistic violence, and the score is really chilling. Theres not really much I can say, other than I though this was a fantastic film, and Im so pissed it took me so long to watch it. I'll be checking out the Redux version as soon as I have an afternoon.

A+

Iiiiiiincredible. One of the best

Coppola is in god mode here, even moreso than in the Godfather films. The editing, lighting, cinematography, sound etc. is totally insane. I don't normally like using directing as a per-se individual attribute, but I think I can safely say Apocalypse Now is one of the "finest directed" films ever

It's also deep as shit thematically and on an intellectual scale, naturally. I agree with Magnus that it captures all of HOD's themes, despite the setting, plot, etc. being rather different.

probably the best war film or films ever

5/5

What can I say?

It's all that and more - - Apocalypse Now is a toweringly great film that should only be seen in the theatre.

(Though my vote for best war movie goes to The Deer Hunter.)

Heart of Darkness is the most fun book ever to read. Everyone should read it again and again.

The film - 'Hearts of Darkness' - is fun, too.

Oh god, Coppola wacked out on coke is the funniest thing over.

So, I only watched this for the first time today, I've heard about it since forever of course, just didn't get to it for one reason or another, till I made the time for it today. And WOW, I'm pretty blown away by it, from the first sounds and shots of the film I was into it, and then it just continuous with great stuff throughout captivating my senses. All the helicopter scenes are excellent and the whole Vietnam setting is very engrossing. This may have had a troubled production, but the end result is simply fantastic. I love how the film is something of a mystery, a war film and full of sociological themes in one, and then packaged with some great acting and cinematography. I watched the theatrical cut at this time, and I have a copy of the Redux cut too, which I look forward to see now as well, but I hear it's not as neat, and the Final Cut may be the best version and restored in 4K too if I'm right.
Anyway, the film is a great achievement through and through and I'm very glad I finally got to it.

A