Born on the Fourth of July directed by Oliver Stone can be compared to Apocalypse Now, produced by Francis Ford Coppola. Apocalypse Now is not categorized as a stereotypical horror film; however, the content is disturbing and frightening, just like in Born on the Fourth of July. The portrayal of the soldiers’ behavior and actions are shocking in both movies. One scene in Apocalypse Now that really stands out is when Kilgore and his men invade and bomb a Vietnamese city. While American soldiers and innocent Vietnamese people are dying, Kilgore focuses on surfing. His character appears calm, casual, and unconcerned with the chaos exploding around him. It amazes me that Coppola portrays the soldiers eventually becoming accustomed to watching and causing the death of other human beings.
Born on the Fourth of July illustrates soldiers in a different perspective. In the scene when the main character Ron Kovic and his unit shower a village with gunfire, no soldier appears calm and collected as seen in Apocalypse Now. Everyone is tense and alert, constantly jerking their heads to look for the enemy. When the enemy begins to attack the unit, the soldiers are fully focused on the chaos around them. Born on the Fourth of July is a more accurate representation of what actually occurs in war.
Another scene in Apocalypse Now that resembles a scene from Born on the Fourth of July is when Willard receives his mission to kill Colonel Kurtz. He immediately thinks this assassination to be different from the others he has performed. It’s different because the person he must kill is American. What fascinates me is that killing an American elicits more emotion from Willard than killing thousands of innocent Vietnamese. This could highlight the fact that soldiers are committed to the country for which they are fighting because there is a personal attachment. Soldiers could focus on the patriotic aspect of war to help account for the numerous people they kill. The movie does not focus at all on Willard’s emotional state after he kills the Colonel, which differs from the scene in Born on the Fourth of July.
In Born on the Fourth of July, Ron Kovic mistakenly kills another man in his unit amongst the chaos on the battlefield. This act of killing his own man affects him significantly. Just like Willard, Kovic has shot and killed other people in the war. However, the idea and reality of killing a fellow troop member is emotionally so much more difficult to handle. Oliver Stone goes further into the mindset after this tragic event. It is evident the guilt Kovic feels through his facial expressions. After the war, Kovic spends some time in Mexico. There he hits his absolute low point. The first step to turning himself around is seeking out the family of the man he killed. He apologizes and receives understanding. This appears to be a huge relief for him which shows that he probably thinks about that day constantly.
Born on the Fourth of July illustrates soldiers in a different perspective. In the scene when the main character Ron Kovic and his unit shower a village with gunfire, no soldier appears calm and collected as seen in Apocalypse Now. Everyone is tense and alert, constantly jerking their heads to look for the enemy. When the enemy begins to attack the unit, the soldiers are fully focused on the chaos around them. Born on the Fourth of July is a more accurate representation of what actually occurs in war.
Another scene in Apocalypse Now that resembles a scene from Born on the Fourth of July is when Willard receives his mission to kill Colonel Kurtz. He immediately thinks this assassination to be different from the others he has performed. It’s different because the person he must kill is American. What fascinates me is that killing an American elicits more emotion from Willard than killing thousands of innocent Vietnamese. This could highlight the fact that soldiers are committed to the country for which they are fighting because there is a personal attachment. Soldiers could focus on the patriotic aspect of war to help account for the numerous people they kill. The movie does not focus at all on Willard’s emotional state after he kills the Colonel, which differs from the scene in Born on the Fourth of July.
In Born on the Fourth of July, Ron Kovic mistakenly kills another man in his unit amongst the chaos on the battlefield. This act of killing his own man affects him significantly. Just like Willard, Kovic has shot and killed other people in the war. However, the idea and reality of killing a fellow troop member is emotionally so much more difficult to handle. Oliver Stone goes further into the mindset after this tragic event. It is evident the guilt Kovic feels through his facial expressions. After the war, Kovic spends some time in Mexico. There he hits his absolute low point. The first step to turning himself around is seeking out the family of the man he killed. He apologizes and receives understanding. This appears to be a huge relief for him which shows that he probably thinks about that day constantly.