Years Later, Apocalypse Now Has The Second Greatest Opening Scene In War Movie History

“Apocalypse Now” is getting fresh attention for how it opens—more than four decades after its release—earning mention as having the second greatest opening scene in war movie history. The film, starring Martin Sheen as Captain Willard, follows a mission to assassinate a rogue Special Forces colonel, but the article focuses on the opening sequence’s ability to establish chaos with minimal dialogue. Music, helicopters flying over the screen, and rapid visual cues introduce Willard’s instability: a glimpse of his face upside down near a fan, napalm engulfing a treeline, and bleak lines about his marriage. The scene also shows martial practice, a shattered mirror, and self-destructive sobbing.