An epic war film is hailed by the fans as the “greatest movie of all time”, and has even been praised by an elite soldier for its authenticity. Apocalypse Now (1979) is set during the Vietnam war and follows Captain Willard (played by Martin Sheen) who is sent on a mission to kill Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a US officer who has gone rogue and established his own cult-like army in the jungles of Cambodia.
It was directed and co-written by Francis Ford Coppola, perhaps best known as the man behind the iconic Godfather trilogy. Besides Sheen and Brando, the film features a bevvy of huge stars including Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper, and Harrison Ford.
The film, which takes loose inspiration from Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness, is as much a psychological drama as a war movie, but features some of the most iconic visuals depicting the conflict ever captured on film.
A member of the National Guard Green Beret, a branch of the US army’s Special Operations Command (USASOC), previously praised the echoes of their experience they saw in the film.
Speaking to Business Insider back in 2021, they said: “You can’t go wrong with Apocalypse Now. The movie is an epic. The plot, acting, theme are on point.
The soldier, who spoke anonymously, said while the only thing not on point is its long runtime, it depicts “unconventional warfare, the bread and butter of SF [Special Forces], and what an SF guy can do”.
“Hero or villain, Col. Kurtz shows the [Army Special Forces] Regiment’s capabilities and the force-multiplier aspect of SF,” they said, apparently referring to the Green Beret’s focus on sending small skilled groups to train up local allied forces overseas.
An Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes called the film a “must see”.
“Terrific storyline and pacing, presenting you not only a war film… but showing the effects of what war can do to a human being,” they added.
“Another gem directed by Francis Ford Coppola, shows the horrors and the darkness of what war and chaos can create. A true milestone of its release and shows another side of the Vietnam War.”
Another said: “Gotta watch it multiple times to catch everything but there are many scenes that just stick with you. A top-3 Vietnam movie.”
A third added: “Is it overlong? Yes is it overblown? Yes. Is it an amazing piece of cinema? Also yes.
“There are so many levels to this movie that it begs for repeat viewings. Full of classic scenes, Apocalypse Now takes you on a journey that will haunt you.”
A fourth said: “I genuinely think that this is the greatest movie of all time; war film or otherwise. It’s the best breakdown of the dichotomy of war and humanity that you will ever see.”
The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 90% score on the site’s Tomatometer (which reflects the percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics given it a positive review).
It’s also highly rated among the general viewers, with a 94% Popcornmeter score.
Apocalypse Now is streaming free of charge on Channel 4 now.