The three ultimately escape relatively unharmed- except for Steven, who suffered the most from the torture and also has severe physical wounds as well. However, shortly after their escape the three become separated yet again. They still haven’t found each other at the war nears its end.
Mike comes home to a hero’s welcome with all the trimmings. He learns that Steven is back, but no one seems to know where. And no one has heard from Nick. Mike learns that Steven is in a VA hospital, having perhaps as a result of losing his legs and an arm shrunken from society. Mike takes him home and gets him back into the fold. During the process Mike learns that Nick is sending Steven rather large amounts of cash- and frequently. And it’s coming from Vietnam.
So Mike returns to Vietnam to bring his friend Nick home. He finally finds him, strung out on drugs (presumably heroin) and being still involved in the racket of the organized Russian roulette games. At the end of the day Nick does come home with Mike.
At film’s end the group is reunited and you can see the friendships begin to come back together after so much struggle.
So as you can see – not much war, but a lot happens on the periphery of it. It is a long film and not one for the lighthearted or feeble minded. You need to pay attention and even think throughout. It’s a good film, perhaps not great. For me the greatness of a film is measured in how many times you can see a film without it boring you- you still see something new in it on each viewing.
The Deer Hunter isn’t like that- as I really don’t care to see it again. It is simply too powerful- a great story but it isn’t an enjoyable one. Perhaps that puts it alone in its own realm of excellence.
Was very impressed with this when I was a young man. Now I am old and find it pretentious and on my no-go list. De Niro is so so dull as the deep deep kinda heroic soldier and self appointed mother rooster of the group. He just never gives his overblown intensity a rest in this to the point I wish there was lots more bullets in his russian roulette pistol. Overacted wannabe pseudo epic. Little respect for this tragic film. Streep, De Niro etc kill me in this. With all respect I think you overrate this thing greatly.