Completely Authentic!

Rating: 9/10 (30 June 2016)

I went to U.S. Navy boot camp in 1973. R. Lee Ermey's portrayal is spot on! I swear these guys always find the kid from Texas and pull that "steers and queers" routine. The technique of punishing everyone but the misfit is tried and true. In our company the screw ups were labeled the "goon platoon" and were made to march in a separate group behind the rest of the company. They were not allowed to sleep on their bunks and had to sleep on the deck (floor) at the rear of the compartment (Navy term for barracks). The scene in which D'Onofrio's character is sitting and sucking his thumb illustrates this. The extreme cleanliness of the barracks also lends credibility, and yeah, our first wake up greeting was "drop your cocks and grab your socks". Perfection! I've watched it ten times and can't find a single flaw. The haircut scene was a great start. Ankle deep in hair! That's how it was!