Did you people see the same film I saw?

Beautiful, moving film.

Absolutely Fantastic

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

So boring, and too long movie without target and confused concept and story .

And boy has this aged incredibly well! 1978 and still utterly gripping and compelling. Is it a masterpiece? No. However to conceive something so bold, daring and powerful is a remarkable achievement. A group of work colleagues and friends from Pennsylvania have their lives irrevocably changed by the Vietnam war. The classic microcosm of portraying small lives to create a scale of grandeur. These steelworkers weren't just representing themselves, but also the idealisms of America at that time. It's a one-sided affair, whether you view that as a detriment is entirely up to you. It does not hinder what is being shown. This is all about the character development, their emotional and physical changes through all three acts. Establishing their close bonds in the first act, putting their survival skills to the test in the second and then dealing with the psychological wounds in the third act. It's the perfect structure. The first act is easily the weakest. Thirty minutes of a wedding ceremony where people are Cossack dancing to the Tetris theme tune feels pointless, could've easily established the friendships in ten minutes. Aside from that, I thought this was pretty darn excellent. Robert De Niro holds the entire film together. Christopher Walken explores his wide emotional range of acting, he was terrific. Even a young Meryl Streep was incredible. Michael Cimino's direction was exhilarating, particularly during the war scenes. Shots were extensive, he took his time with the story and the characters. Then we get to the Russian Roulette scenes. Wow. Never seen anything quite like it. I was on the edge of my seat. Such a simple premise to include in a war film which guarantees thrills and fear. The final roulette scene was gut-wrenching. Captors betting on their survival, it really conveys how chaotic Saigon and the rest of Vietnam became during the war. Descending into a hysterical nightmare. A 3 hour behemoth has never passed by so quickly. Close to perfection, but not quite.

I saw this film in college in the early-80s. At the time, there was so much hype around 'The Deer Hunter", I felt I almost had to love it. I was greatly disappointed and never gave it a second thought. A film group I'm in viewed this recently, and WOW, it hit me, this isn't just a bad film, its aged horribly. Nonetheless, my contemporizes continue to heap praise on the film.Lets be clear, the film is way too long, tedious and unrealistic. The wedding reception goes on forever, and for no apparent reason. The director was obviously going for some sort of effect here, but he failed, and today's audiences would simply walkout on this.The hunting scenes are farcical. Last time I checked, the Canadian Rockies aren't in Pennsylvania.The war scenes are offensively bad.So, how did this film come to be so highly regarded when, in fact, its a terrible film? I believe its an exercise in mass delusion. So, this was the first big Vietnam War film to hit American theaters in 1978, AND it was meant to show the war in a very negative light. Well, that's all film critics and movie "aficionados" needed.

"The Deer Hunter" tells the story of three friends, Mike, Nick, and Steven, as they endure the Vietnam War and its aftermath. However, while the ending of the film is climactic in all aspects, I found the plot to be rather slow-paced otherwise. The most noteworthy portions of the piece are Robert DeNiro's portrayal as Staff Sergeant Mike Vronsky and Christopher Walken's Academy Award winning performance as Corporal Nick Chevotarevich. I believe DeNiro and Walken accurately highlight the difficulties faced both during and following combat by the American soldier. The Russian Roulette scene especially moves its viewers and, in my opinion, is the best scene in the film. By showcasing the camaraderie of servicemen through Mike's ultimate promise of ensuring Nick returns home in addition to featuring the lack of support for soldiers who face mental health issues as seen through Nick's declining stability, audiences understand more of the 20th century America's flawed view on warfare: fight, win, and return to normal. Though the film is saved by its two leads' impeccable acting, I will say I preferred "When We Were Soldiers" (2002) as a means to better understand the Vietnam War. "The Deer Hunter" more beautifully displays war's impact on its soldiers but if needing to gain a full grasp of the war itself, "When We Were Soldiers" is a must-see. We watched the film in my AP United States History class last year, and it was undoubtedly among the better ones we watched. Mel Gibson perfectly portrays the classic American hero, Lieutenant General Hal Moore, and audiences gain insight on what American soldiers' wives face on base throughout the entirety of warfare through Madeleine Stowe's performance as his wife, Julia Moore. I love both films, but I would base my recommendation as to which is better on for the viewing's purpose.