Martin Sheen and Harrison Ford change roles, and a younger Harrison Ford plays the lead role as Benjamin Willard. I never really bought Martin Sheen in the role of a special forces hitman for the CIA in a MAC-V SOG unit. It was one of the major flaws of the entire film and was made worse with our introduction to him as an out of control alcoholic what can't manage his own shit and punches mirrors. That's pretty much the opposite of what special forces is supposed to be, especially those who go hunting men as a MOS.

At the same time Ford was wasted in a minor 5 minute role as one of the shadow guys who puts such operations together. I also thought Marlon Brando was a horrible choice for Col. Kurtz and ironically Robert Duvall would have been excellent in the role of a rogue Special Forces officer who goes off the reservation and starts fighting the enemy in a way that works.

Brando might have possibly been able to manage the role of Kilgore, but I don't see him pulling of the "Smells like victory" line the Duvall slam dunked.

I also think the film itself would have been more coherent of John Milius remained the director rather than it becoming a Coppola project.

R. Lee Ermy was also wasted in a minor role as a helicopter pilot. He would have probably been an excellent choice for the Kilgore role, possibly even better than Duvall.

The result was one of the strangest Vietnam movies ever made, that was erratic with terrible casting resulting in most actors failing to present believable roles. But it could have been glorious.