Among the most tumultuous productions of all time, "Apocalypse Now" possesses a timelessness that is evident in its inspiration. Based on "Heart of Darkness," Joseph Conrad's chilling classic about ivory hunters in the 1890s, "Apocalypse Now" manages to maintain the book's theme of the eminent evil inside us all while simultaneously transplanting it into a modern context.
Set in Vietnam, "Apocalypse Now" tells the story of Capt. Willard (Martin Sheen) a hardened special ops soldier given an ominous assignment; locate deranged Col. Kurtz and "terminate with extreme prejudice." He is escorted by a young crew (including a youthful Lawrence Fishbourne) up a dangerous river and into Cambodia. As the crew members journey upriver, they encounter a series of obstacles and distractions, including a USO show, a horribly botched boat inspection and an escort by the surf- and attack-crazed Lt. Col. Kilgore.
The whole thing adds up to one hell of a ride.
Never mind the Vietnam setting. It simply adds to the extreme psychological content of the film. It's not so much about the psychological toll of war, rather it focuses on the psychological duress faced by anyone in a harrowing situation. The fact the age-old story of dealing with personal demons and the inherent darkness present in the human soul is set in such an alarming stage in history makes it so much more powerful.
The key to the film's potency is director Francis Ford Coppola's commitment - the film is Coppola's nightmare project. With casting and actor problems, Harvey Keitel began filming as Willard before Sheen took over, the film seemed a doomed production. A typhoon destroyed a majority of the set, delaying production of the film. Meanwhile, Sheen had a heart attack, Brando showed up for filming drunk and without having read the script and Coppola lost 100 pounds.
Still, more than a year later the cast and crew had managed to churn out one of the finest and most psychological intriguing films of all time. Its violence is as alarming as it is artistic, used not to excite but to punctuate the film's overall feeling of hopelessness. We all have a bit of Kurtz in us, a piece of darkness as we walk on a razor's edge between sanity and enlightenment. How Willard deals with this hidden piece of himself is what makes the film so universal and timeless.
If you liked this, you may also like: "Full Metal Jacket," the second-best depiction of the emotional toll of war or "Hearts of Darkness," a beautiful documentary about the troubled production of "Apocalypse Now."
Suggested viewing: Get ready for a ride into the darkness of your psyche. If you're expecting bubble gum and puppies, you'll be appalled to see decapitated heads and the senselessness of Vietnam.
