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Apocalypse Now

Play trailer Poster for Apocalypse Now R Released Aug 15, 1979 2h 27m War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 147 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
In Vietnam in 1970, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) takes a perilous and increasingly hallucinatory journey upriver to find and terminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a once-promising officer who has reportedly gone completely mad. In the company of a Navy patrol boat filled with street-smart kids, a surfing-obsessed Air Cavalry officer (Robert Duvall), and a crazed freelance photographer (Dennis Hopper), Willard travels further and further into the heart of darkness.
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Apocalypse Now

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Critics Consensus

A voyage to hell where the journey is more satisfying than the destination, Francis Ford Coppola's haunting, hallucinatory Vietnam War epic is cinema at its most audacious and visionary.

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Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Years and years from now, when Coppola’s budget and his problems have long been forgotten, “Apocalypse” will still stand, I think, as a grand and grave and insanely inspired gesture of filmmaking. Rated: 4/4 Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune It's precisely in the last 25 minutes that Apocalypse Now dissolves into gibberish. I've seen the film three times with two different endings, and neither ending has been satisfactory. That's because the problem with the picture isn't at its very end. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Bruce McCabe Boston Globe Some critics fault Coppola for not delivering a seamless, flawless film. But this is to misperceive and misread the film in a crucial way. The film by definition couldn't be flawless. It attempts too much. Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Megan Fisher Loud and Clear Reviews It’s an enthralling, powerful miracle of a movie. Jan 11, 2025 Full Review Bill Cosford Miami Herald Though as high art this movie may have its problems, it is a complete movie, a huge piece of work that is at once a technical masterpiece and a thing of lyrical, lethal beauty. This will be the film to see in 1979. Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Jeff Simon Buffalo News Decompression [after leaving the theater] takes a long time. You're still submerged for quite a while in its climate of oppressive sin and maddened dissolution... The parking lot doesn't seem quite like a parking lot. Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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אופק א Apocalypse Now: The Great Disappointment ​I honestly don't understand why people love this movie so much. This film is mostly pure boredom. There are a few interesting moments, but they are rare and don't justify the rest of the viewing experience. ​Despite the widespread admiration from critics and its status as a cult film, for many viewers—including serious film enthusiasts—Apocalypse Now simply doesn't live up to the hype. The film's deliberate and slow pace, which was originally intended to build psychological tension, feels mostly exhausting and tedious. The journey up the river, which is supposed to be the heart of the film, is a prolonged sequence of scenes that, while visually impressive, barely move the plot forward. The film drags on for many hours, and the disjointed narrative can cause even the most patient viewer to completely lose interest. ​When the grueling journey finally comes to an end and the viewer at last meets the iconic character of Colonel Kurtz, that expectation is shattered. Instead of a powerful climax or a thrilling physical confrontation, what we get are prolonged and philosophical scenes where Marlon Brando mumbles unclear monologues in semi-darkness. What is meant to be the great "horror" becomes an anticlimactic resolution that reinforces the feeling that the entire long and exhausting journey didn't lead to a satisfying answer. The film demands immense endurance from the viewer and ultimately leaves them with the feeling that it is too long, too convoluted, and most of all, disappointing until the very end. But at the end of the day, it's not a bad movie, but it's not for everyone. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/14/25 Full Review Calum J This movie will pull you from reality and set you in the dark despair that is war a genuine stray from. The Hollywood good feeling war movies of the present a true physiological thriller to leave you on edge and almost uncomfortable reality of the affects of mortal combat Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/06/25 Full Review Al V The absurdity and hypocrisy of war captured perfectly. Like many soldiers, Kurtz probably wanted something more profound, but what he encountered was the aggressive emptiness of a war with no meaning, in a place he didn't belong, against a people that had a purpose. A masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/22/25 Full Review Mike S. Classic for a reason. A must see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/20/25 Full Review Adam G Apocalypse Now is an absolute cinematic masterpiece, an intense, hypnotic journey into the heart of human darkness that blends raw power with breathtaking artistry. Watching this movie is nothing short of a life changing experience…every detail is perfect. Coppola’s visionary direction, paired with the creepy, dark, haunting cinematography, creates a surreal tapestry where every frame feels both epic and intimate. The performances are legendary, Martin Sheen’s quiet intensity, Robert Duvall’s unforgettable swagger, and Marlon Brando’s enigmatic presence, each adding to the film’s mythic weight. The sound design and score, from Wagner’s thunderous “Ride of the Valkyries” to the eerie strains of The Doors, heighten the sense of dread and wonder, making the viewer feel the madness creeping in with the rising heat and chaos. It is not just a war film, it is a poetic, visceral meditation on morality, power, and the fragility of the human soul, and it remains as electrifying and essential today as it was the day it premiered. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/10/25 Full Review M B Iconic cinema and the 2nd best Vietnam film behind Platoon. A Coppola Masterpiece! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/08/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis In Vietnam in 1970, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) takes a perilous and increasingly hallucinatory journey upriver to find and terminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a once-promising officer who has reportedly gone completely mad. In the company of a Navy patrol boat filled with street-smart kids, a surfing-obsessed Air Cavalry officer (Robert Duvall), and a crazed freelance photographer (Dennis Hopper), Willard travels further and further into the heart of darkness.
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Producer
Kim Aubry, Francis Ford Coppola
Screenwriter
Joseph Conrad, John Milius, Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Herr
Distributor
United Artists, Miramax Films, Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Zoetrope Studios
Rating
R
Genre
War, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 15, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 29, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$74.4K
Runtime
2h 27m
Sound Mix
Surround
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