another antiwar piece by kubrick

Rating: Null/10 (30 April 2001)

Full Metal Jacket is a war film that is atypical of its genre, as many Kubrick films contradict the genre in which they are a part of. It is an anti-war classic that does not give any glory to war, and it follows in the footsteps of Dr. Strangelove and Paths of Glory. I think it is safe to say that Stanley Kubrick is not a very big fan of war, as none of these movies have a pleasant ending. The two-part movie commences on Paris Island, where potential marines are chiseled into killing machines, like Lee Harvey Oswald who was skilled with his gun, by Lee Ermey, the drill instructor. The second half of the movie deals with these men who are `no longer maggots' and part of a brotherhood known as the marines. They are stationed in the city of Hue in Vietnam. The fact that the movie does action in Vietnam does not occur in the jungle is atypical of the many Vietnam movies that were released during this time. It allows us the viewer to see the result of war on certain individuals and also allowed the semi-agoraphobic Kubrick to remain in England for filming.
There are many dualities contained in this film. It starts as a somewhat of a comedy and results in a tragic loss. Through watching this, the audience experiences exactly what the marines do. They sign up, optimistic of the war and the efforts of the marines, but when the men witness the tragedy of war, they see the real truth. Joker makes the duality concept very clear during his dialogue concerning his peace pin and `born to kill' on his helmet. This whole concept was something Kubrick did not wish the audience to miss. There are many connections that can be made to the Paris Island and Vietnam. Also, one could compare Animal Mother to the drill instructor in the sense that both were parental characters that watched out for other people.
The only thing that I did not like about the film was the absence of Ermey in the second half. I think he could have played an intricate role, and Gomer Pyle should not have killed off his character. Other than that fact, I believe the movie to be another excellent piece by the great Stanley Kubrick.