Review of Jarhead (2005) by Gregm. — 05 Nov 2005

Those who are complaining about the lack of action in this movie seem to be missing the point of it. If you want action, go see Chuck Norris. The picture demonstrates what war has become: impersonal, distant, so much so that those who trained for it find they have nothing to do in it--that it's all happening miles away.

That in fact they are unnecessary. And we actually sympathize with them when their only triggerpull is foiled--very absurd. Gyllenhal is great, and Saarsgard even better. He is bound, I think, for great things.

It is not a revolutionary movie on the scale of Apocalypse Now, but it is worth seeing, unquestionably, and is far better than rated here.