Review of Full Metal Jacket (1987) by Jackson L — 16 Mar 2014

Second half isn't that interesting, but this is undoubtedly a Stanley Kubrick masterpiece. Based off The Short-Timers, a semi-autobiographical book by Gustav Hasford, Full Metal Jacket follows a US Marine platoon going through training, later transitioning its focus to two Marines of the platoon in the Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War.

The film does tons of detail exploring the steps that are taken into becoming a Marine, including following orders correctly, moving through obstacles quickly and flawlessly, remaining organized, preparing weapons correctly, and remaining close to the squad the soldier is assigned to.

The film, like many masterful war films, uses tons of graphic violence and personal conflict in order to add realism and humanity to the story in order to prevent Full Metal Jacket from going into generic war film territory.

Stanley Kubrick uses his unbelievable genius to craft a film that says "war". He does an incredible job by giving audiences heart breaking battle sequences that also shock them rather than entertain them (thank God, because war is disgraceful).

Kubrick, Michael Herr, and author Hasford craft a script that expands Part I, and contains elements of Part II and III, yet omits Part III. Part II isn't that engaging or as interesting or psychologically disturbing as Part I, but is still a key element to the story, even if it's message isn't that great.

The acting is stellar, most particularly R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, a ruthless, mean, foul-mouthed drill instructor who actually was played by a US Marine drill instructor who was in service during the Vietnam War, and Vincent D'Onofrio as Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence, an overweight, clumsy, incompetent, slow-witted recruit who in fact becomes the focus for Sergeant Hartman for his flaws.

In fact, R. Lee Ermey's scene where he chewed out the new recruits was mostly improvised, despite the fact that Kubrick never allowed his actors to improvise, although he allowed a few to do that, R.

Lee Ermey's being one of them, which helped show off the brutality of his character, especially to D'Onofrio's Pyle. In fact, this scene should've gotten him an Oscar nod, same goes for D'Onofrio.

Vincent is able to capture the recruit going from a troubled man, to an insane, creepy, and flawless recruit whose unpredictable in every corner. The change in D'Onofrio's character shows that people can change even before they go to war (nonviolence anyone?), and that training can have negative implications in them and/or their platoon.

A must-see, especially for anyone who's against war.