Two Movies for the Price of One

Rating: 9/10 (12 August 2000)

The first movie involves Basic Training during the Vietnam era. Although the Basic depicted is that of the Marines, I can attest to its accuracy, because I took mine in the Army at Ft. Jackson, SC, just a hundred or so miles away. About the only inaccuracy I spotted was that of allowing weapons with live ammo in the barracks. This would have been unthinkable in the Army, and I suspect it was in the Marines as well. But it was necessary to the conclusion of the (first) movie, so some "artistic license" may permitted, I suppose.
Although many reviewers here have found this movie "funny", it is anything BUT. The point of Basic Training was to break down individual egos to the point that we would be willing to do our government's immoral bidding. Having attended a boarding military prep school, I knew how to play the game. I vowed to myself that I was checking my ego at the gate when I entered Ft. Jackson, but I saw many other "troops" who didn't, and, though they failed to act out their resistence in the way depicted in the (first) movie, their lives were ruined. The first movie is a true Kubrick classic, and I honestly believe that it should have been released as a separate entity.
The second movie is somewhat more problematic. It's not that it's bad nor innacurate; it's just that it's already been done (in some cases better) in "The Deer Hunter", "Platoon", (especially) "Apocalyse Now", et al. All of these other films are what happens after decent men are turned into killing machines; Kubrick's genius (in movie one) is in depicting HOW that transformation happens. I just hope that viewers stop laughing at and start THINKING about it.