Split personality

Rating: 7/10 (9 June 2005)

I know I'm in the minority here, but for me, "Full Metal Jacket" was a disappointment. I guess the biggest problem I have is that it's split into two completely different movies: the first half, with R. Lee. Ermey (who's incredible in this) as a drill sergeant at boot camp imposing his will on the young cadets, particularly poor Vincent D'Onofrio, who ends up going insane because of the abuse he has to put up with. It's a chilling and sometimes even funny 45 minutes (or so) of film, and the ending is shocking and pure. I loved this opening.
But after that, with Matthew Modine going out to war, is when it starts getting disappointing for me. There were some good bits (like the encounter with the Vietnamese prostitute, a scene that is justifiably famous) but on the whole, I felt left out in the cold. The tone changes completely for the switch from basic training to actual fighting, and while I'd never second-guess a master like Stanley Kubrick, it just didn't do anything for me. Even the ending with the big battle and jumpy camera-work was a bit cloying to me... it was supposed to be gritty and shocking, but instead, I actually found myself bored and wishing the movie would just end. For me, "Full Metal Jacket" will always be two movies, with the first getting a 10, and the second getting a 5 at best. I definitely think it's worth watching, especially since the movie has so many fans, but in my opinion, Kubrick could have done better.