By Jason Haskins
There are many great American War films, but there's one that stands head and shoulders above all the rest: Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.
This was the first Kubrick film I ever saw and one of the first movies that truly appreciated the topic of warfare and could see a different side to it than was presented in other films. Released in 1987, it was the follow-up to Kubrick's horror film The Shining. This time, he reinvented the war genre by making a film in two main parts--the boot camp first half and the war-torn second half. Each half could've been a film, respectively, on its own accord because of how much stuff is crammed in, but this stylistic approach works wonders. In the first half, we're introduced to Private Joker as he works his way through basic training under the hard eye of Sgt. Hartman (played by R. Lee Ermey who makes; this film) along with his fellow troops including the blundering Private Pyle (a very fat and young Vincent D'Onofrio).
After the surprising and tragic end of the first half we are immediately sent to war--Vietnam--where Private Joker is now a journalist on the front lines, but also remains a US Marine. He must chronicle the war and the revelations of the culture and how crazy it is. He's caught in a conflict with his troupe when a sniper begins picking them off. Joker must face death head on in order to survive. This is a sixties-era Vietnam War tale that echoes some anti-war sentiments Kubrick earlier displayed in his WWI film, Paths of Glory. At the same time, it's a film that strongly depicts the realistic activities of soldiers and what they go through from trainee to fully fledged killer.
People have been decidedly split on Full Metal Jacket for years. Some call it brilliant while others write it off as being strongly anti-war to the point of distraction. Personally, I think that it's a smart anti-war film that isn't disrespectful or out there just to stand as a message from Kubrick--as it could be interpreted from a variety of ways that foreign audiences could synthesize as being something else. Sure, it's from the American perspective...but it's far from flattering. Kubrick doesn't take any sides and the script (based on the novel, The Short Timers, by Gustav Hasford and adapted to the screen by Kubrick, Michael Herr, and Hasford himself) is elegantly written to express many different factors of the Vietnamese conflict.
This isn't the end all Vietnam film--don't be expecting Apocalypse Now--this is a completely different breed of war film. It's quite smart and realistic to the aspects of war. By placing you through the struggle of boot camp and then throwing you into the conflict, you stay with Joker and how he adapts. By the end of the film it's as if you've experienced the war yourself and the thrilling ending helps distinguish it from the other war films out there. There's action to be had here--especially during the end...as well as heaps of dry and dark humor thrown in (a majority from R. Lee Ermey), but there's also a lot of drama and depth that is sure to hit you close to the heart if you've known anyone in the military (or been there yourself). The movie is heavy and deals with some amazing issues that I relate with every time I see it.
Psychologically, it's a hefty movie to sit through and one that I watch perhaps once every two years because of how exhausting it is. The two hour running time may have something to do with this. However, that's not to say that the length is a terrible part of the movie for me...but it could definitely be for a viewer with a short attention span. Full Metal Jacket is one of the most essential movies you need to see if you are a fan of Stanley Kubrick whether you dug his sci-fi opus, 2001: A Space Odyssey or his erotic thriller, Eyes Wide Shut. This is one of my favorites not only for his signature direction style but because of the performances by the leading cast. Everyone held their weight in gold--primarily Ermey, who steals the show and Matthew Modine as Private Joker.
They make the film a joy to watch when they're on screen and I love how many emotions I get when I watch this. The soundtrack is key to the success as well as the provocative tones that it takes in terms of narrative. I definitely think this is better suited for a demographic familiar with Kubrick's work or the war film genre as it's not an easy one to jump into...but I definitely recommend it in order to expand your knowledge of how great cinema can be accomplished.
5 out of 5 stars
Stanley Kubrick
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
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