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This movie was not a "surreal satire on the nature of warfare." The movie, in fact, had little to do with warfare in its theme and purpose. Like HEART OF DARKNESS, APOCALYPSE NOW was a journey into the recesses of the human psyche and soul. It is about man's basic inhibition from total freedom because of the restraints of society and civilization, the darkness within man masked by ideals of morality and values, and man's inability to escape his "heart of darkness." 'Gooch' and others, especially 'tkravit,' were on the right track, however. APOCALYPSE NOW is a surreal journey into man himself told through the apalling and fitting medium of the Vietnam War. This movie and particularly the book question the character and self-image of each member of society. Using the Viet-Cong and Cambodian tribe as foils, Coppola exemplifies the degree to which the American soldiers give in to the "darkness" when the restraints are lifted. This is not just another war flick: it actually says something about people as a whole. But even without the metaphors and imagery, it's still a pretty damn good movie.
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