Full Metal Jacket

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2006)

This is the brilliant Vietnam war film from director Stanley Kubrick. Starring Matthew Modine as Private Joker, Adam Baldwin as Animal Mother, Men in Black's Vincent D'Onofrio as Private Gomer Pyle, Dorian Harewood as Eightball, Kevyn Major Howard as Rafterman, Arliss Howard as Private Cowboy, Ed O'Ross as Lieutenant Touchdown, John Terry as Lieutenant Lockhart, and of course, Golden Globe nominated R. Lee Ermey as the foul-mouthed and strict, but unforgettable Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. I think it is at least a third of the film that is taken by the army training for the troops by Hartman, these are obviously the best scenes of the film. All the characters are forced to work hard, particularly Private Pyle, the most helpless troop who makes the most mistakes and in doing so is picked on and punished, and when he has turned into an instrument of death, he goes mad because of the torment and shoots Hartman, and himself. Then the rest of the film is taken up by the characters now real soldiers in the army being interviewed about their opinions, planning attacks, and fighting the war, including the scenes searching in a deserted village for Vietnamese troops. Oh, and if you didn't know, Full Metal Jacket means a fully loaded gun. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Sound. It was number 95 on 100 Years, 100 Thrills, and it was number 5 on The 100 Greatest War Films. Outstanding!