Spoiler Alert. School project. Detailed description.

Rating: 10/10 (16 June 2014)

Full Metal Jacket takes place during the Vietnam War. I believe the major theme of this movie is how war dehumanizes the average person. What was once reprehensible is now commonplace. The movie begins in Paris Island at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. There are several of the more prominent characters in the film. Matthew Modine is private Joker, Arliss Howard is private Cowboy, Vincent D'Onofrio is private Leonard Lawrence (Gomer Pyle), Adam Baldwin is Animal Mother and R. Lee Ermy is Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, the senior drill instructor. The first half of the movie follows the recruits through boot camp getting them ready to go to Vietnam. Joker and Cowboy are good friends throughout the film. Private Pyle is an overweight recruit that is slowing everyone down and has no motivation and as a prior soldier myself, that is the last thing you want when you're going to war.
Throughout the first half of the film all of the other recruits are constantly getting into trouble because of Private Pyle. After an incident regarding a donut that was hidden in his foot locker Private Pyle did not get in trouble anymore, the rest of the platoon did. This did not last long before they strongly motivated Private Pyle to try harder. It worked for the rest of the time while they were in boot camp and he eventually became an infantryman in the Marine Corp. All of the motivation that the other recruits gave him proved to be too much because he ended up killing himself and drill instructor Hartman.
The second half of the movie takes place in Vietnam where it takes the remaining characters through the perils of war. The dehumanizing of the marines starts in boot camp as demonstrated with Private Pyle but it becomes evident when they get to Vietnam. The use of the music to let you know something is about to happen is very prevalent while they were in Vietnam. It makes the suspenseful scenes even better because you know things about to liven up. Also the use of camera angles is a great technique used in this film. They are really good when the platoon is approaching the town behind the tanks and the camera is following behind showing the town as they approach. It almost makes you feel like it is your turn to run down the road to find cover. Also when the sniper is trying to pick off members of the platoon in the town center, the camera angles go back and forth from the platoon to the sniper. The zooming technique is also very effective in this scene.
The dehumanizing effects of war and preparing for war are evident in this movie. Similar themes like the one found in Full Metal Jacket can also be found in films like Platoon and Deer Hunter. These are movies about the Vietnam War also and the effects that war can have on a person. Overall Full Metal Jacket is a great movie and I would highly recommend it to anyone.