With the first hour of 'The Deer Hunter' having already come and gone, I was saying to myself, 'What's the point of all this? They easily could have cut out 30 minutes of this film's opening and you would not have missed a thing.' Now, with the ending of the film long behind me, I not only appreciate the hour long introduction to these characters and their situation, but I am glad that the film had taken that route of development. How else would I have been emotionally involved with these lifelong friends and the end that they face?
'The Deer Hunter', directed by Michael Cimino, stars Robert de Niro as Michael and Christopher Walken as Nick, with Linda, played by Meryl Streep, in the middle of a love triangle. Does she love Michael or Nick? Who knows. The film takes place in the late 1960's, in a small Pennsylvania town. With a hobby of hunting deer in the mountains, Michael, Nick and friends find joy and sport in what they do. But, when Michael and Nick are called to serve in Vietnam, the 'game' changes radically.
To make a long story short, Michael and Nick are taken as prisoners of war by the Vietcong. While imprisoned, they are forced into a harsh, terrible risk taking game of Russian Roulette, in which one person takes a turn at holding a revolver to their head, with one bullet inside. If he shoots and nothing happens, he wins for now. I don't believe I need to tell you what happens when a person loses. There is one particular moment in this film that has stuck with me ever since seeing it. It is during the Russian Roulette, and de Niro's character is forced to put a revolver to his head. Like he told a guy before him, you got to show them how tough you are. Just seconds before he pulls the trigger, he looks into the eyes of one of the Vietcong and lets out a desperate cry. He pulls the trigger... and nothing happens. There's a look on his face after this happens that can only say so much. He whimpers. Was he relieved that the gun did not go off, or was he, in a way, sad that he was still alive? Or could it have been both?
Michael, now a war veteran, comes home as a changed man. He's not so much a naive, drunk person anymore. Now he has respect. His perspective on hunting deer even changes, now that he is home from the war. Let me say this though without spoiling anything: The same could not be said for Nick. And that's one of the things I admired about this film. It's an unflinching look on the effects of war. You can either be changed by it in a good way, or become desensitized and lose your own humanity. I was also surprised how I did not like these characters very much at first. Then at the end, I was deeply sympathetic towards them.
I myself feel very privileged to have met and known men who have served in the war in Vietnam. Some were mildly damaged by it, others were fine and continued to serve both their families and their country in a very powerful way. My hat is off to them.
This film helped me appreciate the life I have even more, and how we as a society should not take our daily lives for granted. Now, be warned. This film is not for the faint of heart. That being said though, the last five minutes of this movie are so moving, you'll be glad you watched it.
4 / 4
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