Kubrick's Vietnam

Rating: 9/10 (3 March 2012)

Stanley Kubrick's take on the Vietnam war which begins with boot camp and a startling debut for R Lee Ermey as Drill Sergeant Hartman, a relentless, screaming lunatic preparing his young future marines for the brutality of war.
Matthew is Private Joker and Vincent D'Onofrio is the overweight punching bag tagged by the drill sergeant as Gomer Pyle. the interaction between D'Onofrio and Ermey are some of the best work Kubrick has ever done as a director.
After a ferocious basic training course, the young marines are sent to Vietnam where the are forced to grow up fast in a few short weeks in the heat of battle.
The climactic point is a segment involving a sniper hiding in a nearby building picking off American soldiers with deadly accuracy. The search and final resolution are absolutely heartbreaking. Kubrick has made the ultimate war drama, a magnificent cinematic achievement.