Apocalypse Now (1979)

reviewed by
Alex Crouvier


                                APOCALYPSE NOW
               A film review by Alex Crouvier
                Copyright 1997 Alex Crouvier

It is an action flick. It is a war movie. It is an anti-war fim, a journey into the heart of darkness, an opera of violence, a study of masterful editing and cinematography. The Ride of Valkyrie scene alone covers those grounds in one majestic sweep. This audience sat still in awe and horror. I always think APOCALYPSE NOW as an elaboration of the running themes in Francis Ford Coppola's other masterpieces, THE GODFATHER. The myth of Michael Corleone is about the self-righteous man whose justification for murder is loyalty to the Family. That is the Big Cause in Corleone universe, the crusade for power. Is Coppola's morality play a reflection of our own attitude toward the Vietnam War? To kill or not to kill. Is the violence a sound justification to preserve 'democracy'? The soldiers in APOCALYPSE NOW certainly not out there to preserve democracy, they are there to surf. There is a great scene in the end where Willard kills Kurtz, and the latter's followers bows down to welcome the newcomer to the throne. Is Coppola saying that is how heroes are created? Michael Corleone is a shy, sensitive character in THE GODFATHER before he guns down a rival and a law enforcer. Not until when he kills, and in effect asserts his masculine omnipotence, was he truly accepted in the Family and ascends to fill the empty throne. He is a true American symbol, Coppola was saying. Now and then, a hero is annointed, but where do heroes come from? APOCALYPSE NOW answers that question with a brooding cynicism: Our heroes are annointed with the blood of others.


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