Apocalypse Now, starring Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, and the late Robert Duvall, is widely thought of as the greatest movie about the Vietnam War. Loosely inspired by Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness, with the setting shifted from late-19th-century Congo to 20th-century Asia, the Francis Ford Coppola film is tense and gorgeous. It was nominated for eight Oscars, winning Best Cinematography and Best Sound. But is it really the most devastating movie about war?
Vietnam War movies are no longer in vogue as they were a few decades ago, but they still make for great entertainment. While Apocalypse Now is considered superior, a few other films capture the war’s devastating aspects better than it does. Many of these films have better storylines and production values. So, if you don’t like the smell of napalm in the morning, try the following Vietnam adventures.
‘Hamburger Hill’ (1987)
Many have questioned the necessity of the Vietnam War, and Hamburger Hill goes even deeper and focuses on a specific battle. The barbaric fight for Hill 937 in Vietnam as part of Operation Apache Snow (a joint operation by the US military and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam against the People’s Army) resulted in plenty of carnage (hence the name “Hamburger Hill”). However, superiors abandoned it after realizing that it had no strategic value. Heavily adored by veterans, the film points out the struggles of soldiers who lost their lives for nothing.
This captivating, atmospheric war thriller, based mainly on fact, reflects grand, old-fashioned filmmaking at its finest, anchored by two fabulous star turns from Don Cheadle and Dylan McDermott. We watch as the soldiers become less devoted to the war while struggling with the hierarchy as opinions change. As it should be, given the historical context, Hamburger Hill is more concerned with violence than plot, making it more harrowing than Apocalypse Now.
‘Casualties of War’ (1989)
Several films have told stories about the incident on Hill 192, such as o.k. and The Visitors. However, Brian De Palma’s Casualties of War, starring Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox, is undoubtedly the best. The movie tells the story of the abduction, gang rape, and murder of Phan Thi Mao, a Vietnamese woman, on November 19, 1966, by an American platoon during the Vietnam War.
War movie directors often refrain from portraying American soldiers in a negative light, but De Palma dares to shame those deemed wicked among noble men. Although Apocalypse Now’s attack on the Vietnamese village, set to Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” raises serious human rights questions, it doesn’t compare to what we see here. Quentin Tarantino even hailed it as “the greatest film about the Vietnam War.”
‘Da 5 Bloods’ (2020)
Most post-war movies tend to focus on PTSD (which is a noble move), but Da 5 Bloods does things a little differently. In the Spike Lee joint, four black Vietnam War veterans decide to act on their curiosity. They head to the Asian country years later to recover the remains of their fallen squad leader, and find a buried cache of gold that was meant to be given to the Lahu tribe for their assistance in fighting the Viet Cong. Predictably, the mission soon becomes weighed down by personalities and socio-politics.
Beautifully filmed, designed, and scored, Da 5 Bloods delivers on all fronts. It’s also more enjoyable because it includes several flashback scenes of the war. For the most part, the mission seems impossible. In the meantime, amidst the continuum of war history, there are notable signs of impermanence, yet the fun never ends. Much credit goes to Jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard. He really puts the pipes to the film’s sound, creating a more melancholic feel than was ever present in Coppola’s film.
‘The Boys in Company C’ (1978)
Who were the soldiers before they enlisted? Many war movies don’t tell us. Neither does Apocalypse Now. In The Boys in Company C, one of the main characters is a former drug dealer, and another is a draft-dodging hippie from Washington (whom FBI agents hilariously deliver to the boot camp). Other characters include a lothario and an aspiring writer. These men are subjected to torturous combat training and molded into an efficient fighting unit before embarking on a Vietnam mission that they might never come back from.
This crackling, no-holds-barred movie playfully advances the notion that personal survival is far superior to the mission. The Boys in Company C’s plot hinges on a series of increasingly ridiculous mishaps (a near overdose, an ambush while delivering beer and cigarettes for a general’s birthday), all of which make the lives of the soldiers hellishly complex. Thanks to the bureaucratic incompetence on display here, you’ll be angrier than you ever felt watching the boat massacre in Coppola’s film.
‘Rescue Dawn’ (2006)
Prisoner of War movies don’t get better than Rescue Dawn. It’s the story of Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-born United States Navy pilot who was shot down and captured during the Vietnam War. After six months of torture and imprisonment, he became only the second captured US airman to escape.
Directed by Werner Herzog, the brutal, ultra-macho action biographical war movie is indignant about the hollow integrity of patriotism, sacrifice, politics, and the military brass. Therefore, it didn’t find a sizable audience when it came out. Even though it isn’t explosively violent or packed with crowd-pleasing spectacle, it questions the rationale for war much more intensely than Apocalypse Now. Surprisingly, it’s spiked with whip-smart dark humor, too. You’ll be thinking Rescue Dawn‘s curdled cynicism long after you’ve seen the end.
‘Born on the Fourth of July’ (1989)
Boosted by one of Tom Cruise’s most inspiring performances, Born on the Fourth of July has never waned in popularity and still packs a potent, anti-war punch. Here, Oliver Stone tells a soldier’s complete story. We follow Ron Kovic (Cruise) across two decades, from his younger years to his hellish service in Vietnam, to his days as a paraplegic, and then to his eventual transition to activism.
Although Al Pacino was the first choice to play Kovic, we’re glad that Cruise did it. Apocalypse Now has many great performances, but none of the actors make us root as deeply for a serviceman as Cruise (who received a Best Actor nomination) does. There are so many harrowing moments in the movie, including the accidental killing of Vietnamese villagers and Kovic’s accidental killing of his fellow platoon member. Things get even worse after Kovic is hospitalized in New York, with doctors taking hard drugs and ignoring patients. Pure hell!
‘The Deer Hunter’ (1978)
It always starts with jingoism and then ends with disillusionment. Colonel Kurtz might have been excited about going to Vietnam, too, before going rogue, but Apocalypse Now doesn’t tell us. Thankfully, The Deer Hunter doesn’t force us to connect the dots. It lays everything bare, introducing us to a trio of Slavic-American friends who are initially excited about the war, only to regret it.
One of director Michael Cimino’s most devastating films, the Best Picture-winning The Deer Hunter, gleefully savages the manners and mores of servicemen while condemning war at large. It employs bizarre plotlines, including a love triangle, intended as fanciful attacks on societal norms. And the performances by Robert De Niro, John Cazale, and Meryl Streep are all spectacular.
‘We Were Soldiers’ (2002)
Inspired by the wartime experiences of Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore and correspondent Joseph L. Galloway, We Were Soldiers dramatizes the Battle of Ia Drang in 1965 – the first major battle between the US military and the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN). It’s remembered for the first large-scale air assault involving helicopters and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers.
Unlike Coppola, director Randall Wallace does well by ensuring Americans aren’t the clear heroes. The good and the dark side of each warring faction is highlighted, a welcome approach that results in the viewer learning new things. In the lead role, Mel Gibson also carries the movie as brilliantly as he carries his weapon.
‘Platoon’ (1986)
Anyone who heard the stunning, painstakingly rendered tale Oliver Stone told about his own experience as an infantryman knows what an audacious achievement Platoon is, both technically and artistically. The celebrated archetypal anti-war movie covers the traumatic metamorphosis of Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) from an over-excited idealist to a shell-shocked serviceman on the brutal, blood-soaked, and bone-filled battlefields of Vietnam. The discord in his camp makes it worse, as pro and anti-groups emerge after the leader orders the slaughter of villagers.
For much of Platoon, we see war through Taylor’s eyes, hearing his voice and thoughts about the bleak and frightening experience. Stone’s choice to construct the events around the conflicts between the platoon members was a genius move, since we get to see antagonists from within. That’s why Platoon feels refreshing. The cinematography is quite stunning, too, with a hue that channels a hellish experience much better than Coppola’s film ever did. No one objected when it won Best Picture and Best Director Oscars.
Full Metal Jacket is both a visual and intellectual treat, celebrating the incredible, jaw-dropping resilience of a few human beings through training and on the battlefield. The film is divided into two halves; the first shows the gluttonous Private “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio), struggling to please the overbearing Sgt. Hartman (R. Lee Emery) at a boot camp, and the second features a tour of duty in Vietnam.
Brando was perfect as a deranged serviceman in Apocalypse Now, but Stanley Kubrick ensured that his actors were even better. The conceit works beautifully, thanks largely to inspired performances by Vincent D’Onofrio and R. Lee Emery in the most demanding roles. A welcome condemnation of military high-handedness and the neglect of those who struggle with mental health, Full Metal Jacket captures your heart and holds on tightly. Would I watch it again? Sir, Yes, Sir!
Which of these impressive war movies have you seen? Would you add another to the list? Let us know in the comments!
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