Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas
explored in a literary work.
The Hypocrisy of Western Imperialism
Apocalypse Now continually spotlights
the ironies that accompanied the Vietnam War in particular and western
imperialism in general. The film is not overtly antiwar, but it
takes pains to reveal the atrocities of a war fought by the United
States in the name of democracy and freedom. In the air strike,
sampan, and bridge scenes, Coppola clearly depicts the death and
destruction that result directly from U.S. involvement. Instead
of helping innocent civilians, American troops kill them. They are
strangers in a strange land, yet they act as if they own it, staking
out territory and firing without provocation.
The film characterizes Willard’s mission as the epitome
of hypocrisy: in the midst of scores of senseless killings, the
U.S. military is wasting energy and lives on killing one of its
highest-ranking military officials. While Kurtz may well have gone
insane, it's not clear why killing him is a priority when U.S. troops
and Vietnamese civilians are dying. Moreover, since the military
seems to encourage assassination in war, as evidenced by Willard’s
assignment, we may question why Kurtz is demonized for killing two
people who may have been working against the United States. Willard
points out a number of other hypocrisies in his narration. For instance,
after killing the Vietnamese peasant in the sampan, he reflects,
“We’d cut them in half with a machine gun and give them a Band-Aid.
It was a lie.” When Willard kills the woman, the others’ perception
of him changes, yet Clean is not criticized for shooting preemptively
and killing an entire family—because he was following protocol.
Madness As a Result of War
The film is a metaphor for a journey into the self and
shows how the self, in the face of war, darkens beyond recognition.
As they move upriver, Willard and the PBR crew become more agitated
and separated from reality. Each experiences his own kind of mental
breakdown. Chef enters the jungle, has a run-in with a tiger, and
is no longer the same—his temper becomes shorter, and he withdraws further
into drugs. Lance turns to drugs too, but he also camouflages his
face, signaling a changed self . When Clean is killed, Chief breaks down
emotionally and becomes a changed man. Willard, already broken from
his first tour in Vietnam, becomes obsessed with his target. What
originally is a mysterious, exciting voyage morphs into a descent
into hell, and the characters respond by hardening themselves, withdrawing,
and transforming. The cinematography reflects their impending madness
by cloaking the journey in darkness and fog, creating an increasingly
hallucinatory atmosphere.
The Emptiness of American Values
While the Vietnamese are fighting for their homes, American
troops are fighting to go home—and home, to them, is a combination
of surfing, Playboy Playmates, and psychedelic
rock. These values are what the soldiers in Apocalypse Now live
for, and Willard often reflects upon their emptiness and absurdity.
Kilgore’s introductory scene also features a team of American journalists
ridiculously filming the soldiers and telling them not to look at
the camera. The film crew essentially converts the war into popular
entertainment, much as actual footage of Vietnam once dominated
the airwaves, exacerbating the antiwar movement. After a senseless
air strike, Kilgore orders his men to surf or fight. The priorities
of the American officers seem confused, to say the least.
Perhaps the biggest absurdity appears when Willard and
the PBR crew happen upon a military supply post where a USO show
is about to take place. In showing the Playmates in Vietnam, the
film highlights the contrasts between American and Vietnamese values. Frenzied
U.S. soldiers drool over the women they can’t have while Vietnamese
villagers eat rice calmly. Willard reflects on the contrast: “[Charlie’s]
idea of great R and R was cold rice and a little rat meat. He had
only two ways home: death or victory.” Meanwhile, as he speaks,
American soldiers continue hooting loutishly.
