What happens to Willard at the end of Apocalypse Now?

The ending prior to this, however, is one that hasn’t changed. Willard, slipping into Kurtz’s compound, hacks him to death as outside, the Montagnards, hack a water buffalo into pieces as part of their rituals. Kurtz knew that his soul was dead, and that he needed someone to replace him.

What did the ending of Apocalypse Now mean?

In a shocking final scene, Willard hacks Kurtz to death. He didn’t go through all that trouble to kill Kurtz only to take Kurtz’s place and start the whole thing over again. Then the government would have to send someone to assassinate him. And the movie was already way over budget.

How are the Vietnamese portrayed in Apocalypse Now?

Vietnamese characters in the film are treated as setpieces, decorations to complete the “look” of war. They are shown as peasants running away from the American soldiers, or as maimed bodies strung over tree branches and artistically strewn on Captain Willard’s path.

Does Willard survive Apocalypse Now?

While it might be argued that Kurtz’s murder is the only action Willard ever takes in Apocalypse Now, an argument also could be made that his only real, self-made decision is to leave Kurtz’s compound and retreat from the darkness it breeds. But Willard is able, in the end, to retreat from his descent’s endpoint.

Who was Captain Willard based on?

Marlow
Captain Benjamin L. Willard is the main protagonist of the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. He is based on the character Marlow from the novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. He was portrayed by Martin Sheen.

Does Captain Willard have PTSD?

Captain Willard and Travis Bickle. The main characters in both films suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a common mental disorder among war veterans. Willard is the charismatic, wise, and quiet leader in front of his crew, but he is unable to contain his depression when he is alone.

Is Captain Willard active or passive in Apocalypse Now?

Captain Willard Character Analysis in Apocalypse Now | SparkNotes Army Captain Willard is a largely passive character. In fact, Martin Sheen replaced Harvey Keitel in the role after Coppola decided Keitel seemed like too active a screen presence.

Who cut off the arms of the villagers in Apocalypse Now?

In the Vietnam War drama Apocalypse Now, it was the Vietcong who were cutting off the arms of the villagers’ children. The villagers had allowed American medical personnel to vaccinate their children against various diseases. The Vietcong were cutting off the very arms that had received the vaccination shots.

How did Willard manage to complete his mission?

He did it by the technique of reversing expectations. Willard has come all this way to complete his mission from the General to assassinate Colonel Kurtz. He does not assassinate the Colonel, but helps him to commit suicide.

What does Willard look like in the first shot?

Willard frequently stares off at a point above our shoulder. The war has shell-shocked him, and the film similarly shell-shocks us. The first shot of Willard inverts his face and superimposes it over the left side of the screen. His eyes are wide open and disturbingly blank.