Nominated for eight Academy Awards, Apocalypse Now is one of the more controversial films of its time. Based on Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness, the film illustrates the worst of human nature and catalogues the horrors of the Vietnam War. Hollywood legend Francis Ford Coppola is the brains behind this portrayal of one man's descent into the depths of hell and his confrontation with the demons around him and within himself. Sporting a Lord Of The Flies theme, Apocalypse Now is an unforgettable film every movie buff should see at least once

Martin Sheen plays the role of Captain Benjamin L. Willard, a top-tier Vietnam soldier tasked with a mission of entering Cambodia in search of a renegade Green Beret, Lt. Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando). With orders to "terminate with extreme prejudice," Willard enters depths of the sweltering jungle where he and his crew become captive to the wild and untamed jungle, seduced by the allure of drugs - fascinated with the Darwinian nature of the world around them. One-by-one, Willard's men are picked off until he alone is left to face down the infamous Lt. Kurtz.

Having formed his own army from U.S. military deserters, Kurtz lives among a local tribe where he has set himself up to be God incarnate. Willard must learn to walk into the devil's lair and defeat his opponent without becoming subject to the same laws and temptations which drove Kurtz mad in the first place. Will Willard successfully carry out his mission, or will Kurtz have the last say? Apocalypse Now leaves its audience in the grips of smothering suspense in anticipation of the final outcome

Marlon Brando makes one of his more memorable cinematic appearances as the rogue Green Beret who is the focal point of the seek-and-destroy mission. His reputation as a master of the big screen is solidified following a career which boasted of such masterful films as The Godfather (also a Francis Ford Coppola production). In addition, Brando's performance is complimented by a younger Martin Sheen who does well with an extremely complicated role. And notable brief appearances by Harrison Ford (Colonel Lucas) and Dennis Hopper (a photojournalist) help to make Apocalypse Now a cult classic among those who study the careers of Hollywood stars.

With the passing of time, Apocalypse Now only seems to grow in stature among the ranks of the film elite. Many reputable critics rank the film in their top 100 of all-time, and the film is certain to provoke emotions in one direction or another. With a first-class director, great writing, and an all-star cast, Apocalypse Now is a film that lives up to its hype. The synergy of its parts makes the film greater as a whole, and that's why Apocalypse Now is a definite must-see film