Robert De Niro has starred in some epic movies in his career, but fans should not be intimidated by the substantial runtime of his war masterpiece,The Deer Hunter. By the timeThe Deer Huntercame around in 1976, De Niro’s movie career had already made him one of the most popular actors in Hollywood.
De Niro won the Oscar for his role as young Vito Corleone inThe Godfather Part IIand began his incrediblecollaboration with Martin ScorseseinMean StreetsandTaxi Driver. The Deer Hunterwas another massive achievement for De Niro, with the movie earning high praise and winning the Oscar for Best Picture.
However,The Deer Hunteris not always mentioned as frequently asDe Niro’s other classic movies. However, while there is likely one big factor preventing a lot of people from checking outthe Vietnam War movie, it is not as much of a hurdle as it seems.
The Deer Hunter Is Over 3 Hours, But Makes Full Use Of Its Runtime
The Deer Hunter Makes Every Moment Essential
The Deer Hunterclocks in at 184 minutes, making a lot of people flinch at the prospect of sitting down for a movie for over three hours. It seems that three hours has become the limit for when audiences feel a movie is too long. However, in the case ofThe Deer Hunter,not a single minute of the runtime is wasted.
The movie is a sweeping epic story that relies on an expansive story in order to really deliver its impact. It takes place in a working-class Pennsylvania community, following a group of young men from the town who volunteer tofight in the Vietnam War. After being captured by the Viet Cong army, they are subjected to sadistic torture.
Each sequence is riveting, emotional, and essential, never feeling like the story is dragging, and when it is over, you’ll be shocked at how fast three hours can feel.
While the men are able to escape their brutal captivity, the experience changes them forever. The movie then explores the aftermath of their time in the war and how the horrors and trauma they experienced have lasting effects not only on them but on their community of friends and loved ones as well.
The movie is almost split into three sections, showing the characters' lives before, during, and after the war. Without spending so much time with these characters before the war, seeing the various relationships and drama, it wouldn’t mean as much to see it all shattered later on.
Likewise, theharrowing Vietnam War sectionis necessary, including the horrific Russian Roulette scenes, because of what comes later with some of the dark turns the characters take. Each sequence is riveting, emotional, and essential, never feeling like the story is dragging, and when it is over, you’ll be shocked at how fast three hours can feel.
Other 3-Hour+ Movies That Feel A Lot Shorter
These Movies Prove 3 Hours Isn’t So Long
Famed critic Roger Ebert once said that “no good movie is long enough and no bad movie is short enough.“That sentiment is proven true by so many great movies that make it feel like three hours have gone by in a flash. LikeThe Deer Hunter, these movies use their expanded runtimes to tell complete stories.
One of the more recent examples isOppenheimer, coming in at exactly 180 minutes. LikeThe Deer Hunter, it tells a vast story that unfolds in sections, with each one feeling essential to what comes later. However,Christopher Nolan is a filmmakerwho knows how to thrill audiences, even making nuclear physics and senate hearings captivating.
Many people may have decided that another over three hours is where they draw the line, but they would be missing out onThe Deer Hunterand other great, complete stories.
There has been criticism of modern blockbusters being too long, butAvengers: Endgameearned its 3-hour+ runtimewith the culmination of over a decade of cinematic storytelling. Saying goodbye to key characters, tying multiple storylines together, and delivering an emotional climax was a daunting task that the MCU pulled off while making it entertaining.
Aside fromThe Deer Hunter,Robert De Niro has also starred in some moviesover three hours that are terrific from beginning to end, includingThe Godfather Part IIandThe Irishman.The Irishmandirector, Martin Scorsese, also delivered the wild and hilariousThe Wolf of Wall Streetat three hours, yet it is still endlessly rewatchable.
There are other fine examples, includingSeven Samurai, Titanic, and The Right Stuff,that add to the argument that three hours doesn’t need to feel long. Many people may have decided that another over three hours is where they draw the line, but they would be missing out onThe Deer Hunterand other great, complete stories.
