My all time favorite Vietnam film, and there are many great ones. There is something about the slow pace, to the middle of some of the greatest intensity ever to be on screen, the point is the length may seem long but it is worth it and paces your relationship with the characters perfectly. Every cast member is at the top of their game. DeNiro is epic as is Walken, and of course the always marvelous Streep (a then unknown). One of the few films to have a best picture statue and it really was the best film of that year.