Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now

1979Movie147 minEnglish

At the height of the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard is sent on a dangerous mission that, officially, "does not exist, nor will it ever exist." His goal is to locate - and eliminate - a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter Kurtz, who has been leading his personal army on illegal guerrilla missions into enemy territory.

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Insights

IMDb8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes97%
Metacritic90
Google Users93%
Director: Francis Ford CoppolaGenres: War, Drama, Mystery

Plot Summary

During the Vietnam War, Captain Benjamin L. Willard is sent on a top-secret mission up the Nung River into Cambodia to find and assassinate Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, a once-promising officer who has gone rogue and established his own brutal command among a local tribe. Willard, haunted by his own experiences, grapples with the insanity of war and the nature of Kurtz's descent into madness as he journeys deeper into the jungle.

Critical Reception

Apocalypse Now is widely regarded as a masterpiece of filmmaking, celebrated for its ambitious scope, stunning visuals, and profound exploration of the psychological toll of war. While its production was notoriously troubled, the final film garnered immense critical acclaim for its artistic vision, powerful performances, and unsettling portrayal of wartime madness.

What Reviewers Say

  • A visually stunning and philosophically complex examination of the Vietnam War.
  • Marred by production difficulties but ultimately a powerful and unforgettable cinematic experience.
  • Features iconic performances and a haunting, dreamlike atmosphere.

Google audience: Audiences are overwhelmingly impressed by Apocalypse Now, praising its epic scale, intense atmosphere, and thought-provoking themes. Many find the film to be a harrowing and artistic depiction of war's psychological impact, with standout performances that linger long after viewing.

Awards & Accolades

Won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, won Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Sound.

Fun Fact

The famously chaotic and protracted filming in the Philippines led to Martin Sheen suffering a near-fatal heart attack during production, an event that was incorporated into the film's narrative as Willard's breakdown.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

7 reviews
daniel_carr

daniel_carr

Did I miss something!? This was rated one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. I'm a sci-fi fantasy guy but this movie was boring, sorry. I can watch a movie with low budget effects, I even prefer the original "Alien" movie to the latest ...
zealed

zealed

Yeah Rocketeer Raccoon just straight wildin, certified 0 ball knowledge peanutbrain. Amazing movie of course, maybe the best I've seen.
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

This is, I think, the definitive Vietnam war movie. Martin Sheen is "Capt. Willard", a war weary veteran who is sent on a top secret mission to track down and stop the rogue Colonel 'Kurtz" (Marlon Brando) who is operating independently fro...
John Chard

John Chard

It wasn't just insanity and murder, there was enough of that to go around for everyone. Apocalypse Now is directed by Francis Ford Coppola who also co-adapts the screenplay with John Milius from Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad...
Wuchak

Wuchak

***One of the greatest films ever made*** The original "Apocalypse Now" is an awe-inspiring masterpiece and is my all-time favorite film. Memorable scenes abound, starting with the mind-blowing opening with Willard (Martin Sheen) having ...
Rocketeer Raccoon

Rocketeer Raccoo...

I think a lot of people who think this film is a classic are deranged, the only memorable scene in the film is when they drop exploding napalm and the guy in the hat says "I love the smell of napalm in the morning", the rest of the film is ...
Ian Beale

Ian Beale

**Ponderous, meandering epic with a few bright spots.** This film is about a soldiers quest to find a renegade and insane Colonel (a bald Brando in an extended cameo) who has hidden himself away in the depths of the jungle and is causin...