The Deer Hunter
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Movie Reviews of The Deer Hunter
Movie Review: A true masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
It seems clear after reading many of these reviews, the reviewers and their ratings fall into 2 camps: Those who view movies for artistic value, acting, and underlying metaphors and themes give this film high marks. Those who only care about "action" and "realism" give it low marks, and think it's "boring".
Well, if you fall into the second group, then don't purchase the movie. Don't even watch it. You will probably not understand why a "pre-Vietnam" wedding scene runs well over an hour. When you see the famous "Russian Roulette" scene, you will probably think "Cool, but I don't think that ever happened, did it?". And the "post-Vietnam" scenes....well, never mind, you may not make it that far.
As is probably obvious, I fall into the first group. This is not to sound superior....many people just want to watch a movie to be entertained and there's nothing wrong with that. So be warned. this movie is not "entertainment".
DeNiro, Streep and Walken have never been better. The story is gripping and the character's relationships are developed perfectly - they are believable. We all have known people like Michael (DeNiro); serious, unapproachable, yet admired and looked up to. And Nick (Walken) too: Funny, jokes with the guys, yet extremely intelligent and gentle. And these are the types that, just as in real life, often "go over the edge", which is precisely what happens.
The movie is at one level so depressing you want it to end, yet you never want it to end.
Does it really matter that "Russian Roulette" wasn't forced on POW's by the North Vietnamese? No. A powerful film at all levels, one to be watched and appreciated over and over.
Movie Review: Among the best
Summary: 5 Stars
The Deer Hunter is definitely among the top three Vietnam films of all time, in my opinion... However, what makes all three great is that, in reality, none of them are about war...The Deer Hunter takes place mostly outside of Vietnam and doesn't dwell there for more than a third of the film. Rather, it is merely the focal point of the film. The movie is about friendship, courage, loyalty, and pathos. The movie features a wonderful ensemble of actors, including Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale, Meryl Streep, and George Dzundza, just to name a few. The story is set in a small steel town in Pennsylvania, and De Niro and company are Russian-Americans and close friends. De Niro's character, Michael, is the leader. He is spontaneous and fun-loving, but also strict and methodical. When screw-up Stan (Cazale) forgets his boots, De Niro doesn't want to give him his extra pair. Walken portrays Nick as an intensely loyal friend, willing to risk death at Russian Roulette to escape on a plan conceived by Michael. Savage plays Steve, the married man who ends up losing his legs due to an injury in the war. The film investigates the lives of these three men, forever changed by Vietnam: one emotionally scarred, one physically scarred, one lost in a foreign land. I got choked up when Michael went to Vietnam to save Nick, but ends up playing one final game of Russian Roulette. That particular scene is the most affecting. See it and you'll understand.In short, this film is a monumental examination of friendship, loyalty, and courage. It won the Best Picture Oscar in 1978, and will forever be a potent look at grief and sadness and joy and love. A must.
Movie Review: Fear, Emptiness, and Despair
Summary: 5 Stars
A grim look into the after-effects of the Vietnam war on three buddies from a small Pennsylvania steel town. The cast is stocked with first class actors such as Christopher Walken, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep, and of course Robert De Niro. De Niro's character Michael gets the most screen time in the film but the true star of The Deer Hunter is Christopher Walken. This is his coming out party and he does a fantastic job as Nicky, a smart, funny, well-adjusted small town guy. The movie centers around the boys being sent off to 'nam and the ensuing horror that all of them endure. After being captured by the enemy it becomes apparent who the strongest of the group is...Michael (De Niro). It is his strength and perservence that ultimately bring the three through this trauma, but the effects are long lasting. Savage's character (the weakest) becomes paralyzed and looses both legs, he suffers both the physical and mental scars of the war. De Niro come out virtually without a scratch but the signs of mental anguish and social maladjustment are clear. Nicky goes AWOL and decides to stay in Hanoi and play big stakes Russian Roulette as now the mental beating he took in the war seems too much for him to bear. He is truly the living dead. Meryl Streep plays a woman torn between her love for a missing Nicky and a consoling Michael. As always, her work is nothing less than stellar. The last scene in Hanoi is truly chilling especially when Nicky finally remembers his hunting days with the boys and then utters his final words "one shot." A true cinematic masterpiece that wrenches at the soul. The most anti-war war film I've ever seen. Highly Recommended.Movie Review: A Brilliant Emotional War Movie About Friendship
Summary: 5 Stars
The first time I watched this extraordinary film, I didn't like it as much as I would later on. At first it seemed a little sloppy and slow, with some very intense and memorable sequences. This is definitely a film that grows on you, and come to love after a few viewings. Robert DeNiro stars as Michael, an ambitious guy who loves to shoot pool with his buddies and go hunting. Their world suddenly changes when Michael and his two friends Nick (Christopher Walken) and Steven (John Savage) go off to war in Vietnam.This film shows the brutal intensity and reality of war and what the main characters are forced to go through. When they finally get back, their social and home lives have changed...mostly for the worse. We then see how each character copes with the effects of war, and loss of friendship.
One thing I've learned about some great masterpieces, is that they always seem to have a song before a huge event occurs. For example, in Pulp Fiction "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon," before Mia overdoses. In "The Deer Hunter," there is a scene early on in the film where all friends sing and dance to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" with Christopher Walken leading. This scene sticks out in my mind as brilliant. While watching this scene, you become absorbed in the film and become close friends with the characters. It's really powerful, and a last good time before going off to war.
You may start watching this film and find the picture to be too grainy, or the plot too boring, but trust me...stick with it. It will most definitely be a film that will stay in your heart for some time.
Movie Review: A stunning accomplishment in modern American cinema
Summary: 5 Stars
The Deer Hunter is a poignant, stunning achievement. It contains some of the most memorable performances in recent history. The story centers around a group of working class steelworkers and their girlfriends during the time of the Vietnam War. Three of the men leave for Vietnam, while their tightly knit group of friends stay home. The first act of the film chronicles the events leading up to the departure of De Niro (Michael), Nicky (Christopher Walken) and Steve (John Savage). There is a scene in the local bar where the pals gleefully sing Frankie Valli's Can't take my Eyes off you" in their excited anticipation of combat and their friend's wedding. The actual Vietnam scenes are brief, yet there is one harrowing, controversial scene where a group of Viet-Cong supporters use captive American and South Vietnamese soldiers as sacrificial lambs in a game of Russian Roulette. This scene exhibits perhaps the best acting of De Niro's career. He and Walken are at the bring of death. This scene is so intense, so calculated you actually feel you are sitting in the ramshackle hut on the Mekong Delta. The film also exhibits the beauty of Meryl Streep, who at the time of the film was a relatively new name in Hollywood. Her acting is subtle and brilliant. The supporting cast including the portly George Dzundza is perfect in this film. Unfortunately, Camino made the dreadful Heaven's Gate after The Deer Hunter, and the former's reputation damaged the acclaim of the latter. The Deer Hunter is a great movie, perhaps one of the best in recent history.