One of the most memorable, no-holds-barred war film of the last century, Full Metal Jacket is also one of the most highly regarded yet underrated war films of all time. So let's not waste time. They don't serve fried chicken and watermelon on a daily basis on my reviews!
So here's the plot:
We begin with America going into Vietnam in the mid to late 60's. We are introduced to a group of men training to become Marines to fight in Vietnam. They are taught by Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, excellently played by R. Lee Ermy. Trust me, you don't want to cross toes with this guy. He targets one plump soldier named Lawrence and repeatedly abuses him. One important thing: he names him Gomer Pyle.
After threats, insults, and several yells, Hartman pretty much destroys Pyle after one case where he stole a jelly doughnut from the mess hall and hides it in his footlocker. Hartman finds it and says now the entire platoon will suffer for his mistake. That night the rest of the platoon hit him many times with bags with soap in them. He wakes up the next morning a changed man.
Private Joker, who was paired up with him earlier to help him, notices many things happening with Gomer Pyle, including him talking to his gun. After training is complete and it is announced that the troops will go to Vietnam, Joker actually to photograph, and Pyle to fight, a disaster takes place on the last night staying at the training center.
This scene alone, I must say, makes the movie worth watching. Joker, who is watching to make sure no one tries to get up in the night, hears noises in the head (bathroom) and finds Pyle loading his weapon with 7.62 millimeter rounds, a full metal jacket. He then shouts out the creed, wakes Hartman and the rest of the platoon, and Hartman immediately orders him to drop the weapon. Pyle refuses, Hartman insults him one last time, and Pyle opens fire, killing Hartman. He then sits on a toilet, puts the gun in his mouth, and blows his brains out.
The rest of the platoon go to Vietnam or to where they are stationed. Joker has been photographing the war, as he was assigned to do, but this all changes when the Tet Offensive. Joker is assigned to follow a platoon and photograph and possibly fight if he needs to. He sees that this platoon has his old friend, Cowboy, in it.
The rest of the movie follows them as they fight in the war. Throughout many battles, interviews, and close calls, eventually the group comes across a female Vietnamise sniper. Though tank fire is not available, the group goes in to kill the sniper. Many are killed, including Cowboy.
Eventually Joker finds the sniper, and is shocked to see she is a teenage girl, and almost fires but cannot. He is saved by marksman Animal Lover, a gung ho killer in the platoon. Joker does shoot her after she pleads for death. And as the movie ends with the platoon marching and singing the Mickey Mouse March, Joker reveals he truly is, in the words of Hartman, in a world of @*#&.
Now for the grading scale:
Acting: 8 out of 10. Ermy and Vincent D'Onofrio as Gomer Pyle do excellent, but the rest is ok.
Entertainment: 6 out of 10. After the boot camp scenes, the picture does go into a standard set up-attack, set up-attack formula.
Screenplay: 7 out of 10. Despite the smart diolague of the boot camp, the back-half of the picture is basic.
Directing: 10 out of 10. Kubrick does an epic job here.
Technical Credits: 7 out of 10. Cinematography is great, editing is nice, and everything else is standard.
Genre Fit: 9 out of 10. The boot camp scenes are quite comedic but the rest definately fits as a war movie.
MPAA Rating: 6 out of 10. A hard-core R rated flick, but the violence does start to go overboard by the end.
Stupid Scenes: 7 out of 10. Sometimes the interviews get a little stupid, but that's ok.
Deeper Message: 10 out of 10. Shows the de-humanization of war on men and how friendship can save or lose a life.
Beginning: 30 out of 30. Truly perfect.
Middle: 15 out of 30. I get quite bored.
Ending: 20 out of 30. Gets better.
Final Score: 135/180 or 75%. The lowest B+ you can get, but it's still a great motion picture.
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