Common Sense Media Review
Disturbing tale of war horrors has violence, nudity, racism.
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Apocalypse Now
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 15 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is highly controversial due to its extreme violence, disturbing themes, and strong language, making it unsuitable for children and younger teens. While some viewers praise its cinematography and depth in exploring human nature and the horrors of war, many others express that it is too traumatizing and shocking to recommend for younger audiences.
- extreme violence
- not for kids
- deep themes
- well-made film
- psychological horror
- traumatic experience
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 35 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Based on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, APOCALYPSE NOW chronicles Capt. Benjamin J. Willard's (Martin Sheen) journey down a hostile Vietnam river to find and kill a rogue Green Beret, Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). The majority of the film follows Willard and his shipmates (Laurence Fishburne, Sam Bottoms, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall) as they travel to their classified destination. Ultimately, Willard must face the horror of the world Kurtz has created.
Is It Any Good?
This intense, potent film is as famous for its over-budget and over-schedule production as it is for its impressive cast and many awards. Plagued by problems, Apocalypse Now's planned six-week shoot ultimately took 16 months. Francis Ford Coppola shot nearly 200 hours of film and took almost three years to edit the project. But the finished film is a gripping and incredibly disturbing image of the murkiness of war and the depths of human depravity.
The movie features outstanding performances by Sheen, Fishburne, and Forrest. Robert Duvall gives an unsettling performance as Lieutenant Kilgore, the character credited with one of the film's most famous lines, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." As compelling as it is, adults might want to consider the film's psychological suspense, extreme violence, and racist portrayals before letting their teens watch it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Apocalypse Now portrays American soldiers' experiences during the Vietnam War. How does the war affect their behavior? What signs of PTSD do some of the characters show? How is it portrayed in the movie?
How are Vietnamese people depicted in the movie? What about Indigenous people? How does it compare with other movies about the Vietnam War? What stereotypes and instances of racism do you notice? Why is it important to acknowledge and learn from them?
The movie was inspired by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Have you read the book? How do the two compare? Are you aware of any of the discussions around the book's racist portrayal of its own setting, Africa? Do you think that sentiment is carried over into this film?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 1, 1979
- On DVD or streaming : November 9, 1999
- Cast : Marlon Brando , Martin Sheen , Robert Duvall
- Director : Francis Ford Coppola
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : History
- Run time : 153 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : disturbing violent images, language, sexual content and some drug use
- Awards : Academy Award - Best Picture Nominee , Academy Award - Other Category Winner , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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