Apocalypse Now Redux (1979) – Originally written July 2003

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

WARNING SPOILERS INSIDE

What the hell was that?!?!? I’ve just spent the vast majority of a night watching the Redux version of this film & I’m a bit confused. I mean, technically I can appreciate why people rave about this film & there is certainly something special about it. However, I just don’t get what the fuss in general is about. The plot is good up until a point & then he meets Brando. I mean, even with the Redux added French bit which people seem to condemn, the film was still entertaining. I just don’t understand why the film switches from a movie about the horrors of war (of which it shows brilliantly, not least in Fishburne’s death) to some sort of art house film featuring natives & dancing. I just don’t understand what happened. Coppola is amazing as director & I don’t think anyone’s acting can be questioned (Duvall & Sheen being especially worthy of mention), but I just feel that if they’d done a decent ending, the film would have been so much more satisfying. I feel like I’ve watched a movie on video & the video broke halfway through the movie & switched to a different one alltogether. I guess it could be just me, but I do feel that with a bit more thought into the ending & this film could have been in the imdb top 10 movies rather than at 32 (last time I checked anyway).

Having said all that, despite a weak ending, for the first 3/4 of the film, I was entertained (and this coming from a Brit who isn’t too keen on american Vietnam films). So the film had some qualities at least.