Ben Marx

ENG 230
12/5/13
Exam 3: Question 1: Apocalypse Now
The famed film Apocalypse Now is renowned for having an inherently intricate plot
structure that shattered societal preconceptions of the classical war film genre, and perplexed
audience members with elaborate character dynamics not often seen within such films. For years,
the war film genre was predominated by performances of heroes that appeared to be virtually
infallible, as audiences could typically expect that antagonists within such films to be effortlessly
routed by the hero. Furthermore, viewers would also frequently find initiate heroes
complementing the protagonist that are first introduced as seemingly ordinary soldiers, yet by the
end of the film, either supersede, or fill the role of the main hero altogether. Apocalypse Now
completely shatters this dogma by not only exposing the acrimonious realities of war glorified by
earlier films, but by introducing a human element personified by the convoluted relationship
between Willard and Kurtz. To that end, many would argue that in the course of his journey to
kill Kurtz, Willard effectively embodies the insanity that consumes the Colonel, and in effect,
becomes Kurtz himself. That said, while there is evidence to support this throughout the movie,
certain subtle cues in the film could be interpreted to suggest that Willard, while inexorably
influenced by the Colonel, ultimately restrains himself from entering this axiomatic Heart of
Darkness that dominates Kurtz.
In order to understand the minutiae that comprise Willard and Kurtzs connection with
one another, it is important to recognize how their relationship as heroes differs from that of
what might be seen in a classical war film. Traditionally, viewers might find that a subordinate
hero within a war film would make an effort to learn from and emulate the qualities and traits of
the superior soldier that they shadow. However, Apocalypse Now completely reverses this

concept, as Willard, the observed initiate hero, is tasked with killing Kurtz, who could arguably
be perceived as the ideal soldier to learn from, at least from a militaristic standpoint. In effect, it
could be said that as a result of Willard instinctively accepting the responsibility of carrying out
the orders to eliminate Kurtz, he, for all intents and purposes, becomes a callous killing machine
akin to Kurtz. In many ways, this could be considered accurate, as Willard does at times seem to
be neurotically focused on completing his mission. Most notably, this notion can be corroborated
in the scene in which he ruthlessly executes the dog of a Vietnamese woman for the sake of
convincing his crew to carry on with their orders. However, while there are such glimpses of this
vicious behavior within Willard scattered throughout the film, other evidence suggests that in
spite of this, he ultimately does realize what he is becoming, and functioning as a classical
initiate hero, learns from Kurtzs insanity.
Although Willard comes precariously close to becoming completely lost within the
theoretical jungle of lunacy that has consumed Kurtzs soul, he manages to emerge from this
state at the last minute, albeit as a changed individual. In particular, subsequent to eliminating
Kurtz, Willard is confronted by a gathering of villagers seemingly prepared to accept his
ascendancy to the throne formerly occupied by the Colonel. However, in an act of pseudorecalcitrance, Willard lowers the weapon he is carrying in an ultimate sign of reluctance to
completely submerge himself in the figurative and literal jungle that consumed Kurtz, and as a
part of his promise to share, and incidentally, learn from the Colonels atrocities. Moreover, if
viewers were to perceive Willards voiceovers as actual recollections of his experiences with
Kurtz, it could be argued that they are a testament of at least some sense of psychological
normality. More specifically, during the scene in which Willard states that if his (Kurtzs) story
really was a confession, then so is mine, it could be said that he is actually confessing to being a

near-manifestation of Kurtz, and subsequently, to having temptations to nearly enter the Heart
of Darkness. To that end, although these examples do not quite support the possibility of
Willard returning to the United States to re-integrate himself into civilized life, he implies that he
is no longer a part of the military. With that being said, it can then be further inferred that
Kurtzs experiences have somehow aroused an awareness of the absurdity of war within
Willards consciousness, and ultimately steer him away from the Heart of Darkness that once
consumed the Colonel.
If the audience serves as a reflection of the initiate hero within the film, viewers can
effectively then identify with Willards revelation at the end of the film, albeit from the
psychological perspective of those who have likely not experienced war firsthand. We have the
capacity to somewhat comprehend the absurdity of war vicariously through Willards
experiences in the film, and in a sense, as Willard gradually uncovers the circumstances that
drove Kurtz into madness, we too, can begin to understand why the Colonel is shrouded by guilt
and the abhorrence of his actions. To that end, it could then be argued that if Willards voyage as
the initiate hero is a manifestation of our own understanding of war, then we, like the Captain,
are able to remove ourselves from the Heart of Darkness before it consumes our soul.
Despite its abundant amounts of violence and action sequence, Apocalypse Now cannot
be considered a war film in the classical sense, but rather, serves as a baroque interpretation of
the genre that truly exposes the ludicrousness of past romanticized productions. Rather than
promoting warfare as seen in numerous John Wayne styled films throughout history, Francis
Ford Coppolas direction in the film seems to demonstrate why war is not something that should
be glorified by revealing its unseen implications on an individualized level. Willards
experiences throughout the film, particularly those shared with Kurtz, seemingly aim to

personify these horrors by demonstrating the effects that the savage nature of war has on the soul
of these two soldiers, and how they can drive some into a theoretical Heart of Darkness. If
there is an essential lesson that can be ascertained from the relationship between these two, it
may be that while war may seem necessary at times, particularly as a result of its sensationalism
in the media and classic cinema, the sacrifices that are sometimes made to win battles may
nevertheless plague the souls of the soldiers tasked with carrying them out. That said, while not
every soldier is affected by such a dynamic, the relationship between Captain Willard and
Colonel Kurtz fundamentally reveals that the perils of war have the inherent capacity to drive
ones soul directly into the Heart of Darkness.