A realist but highly overrated war movie

Rating: 5/10 (10 December 2010)

There's no denying that Stanley Kubrick's films have become landmarks in the history of cinema. "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) helped to make science-fiction a major cinematographic genre and "The Shining" (1980) is a spooky fantastic film. Needless to add that his visual virtuosity plunges the audience in a state close to hypnoses. His films are unique but not necessarily in the good sens of the term. Full Metal Jacket (1987) arrived seven years after The Shining. I read on several covers of the film: the greatest war movie ever made. It's not really appropriate to deem it this way.
The work is divided into two parts: the training of the Marines and men at war. Many critics were adamant that the adventures of Joker in Vietnam were the result of the catastrophic brainwashing in Parris Island. It's really hard to adopt this principle for there's virtually nothing in the second part that echoes to the first one; except maybe the compulsive character of Adam Baldwin who is turned into a real killing machine and it's blatant in the last third of the film.
Thus Full Metal Jacket looks like a clumsy film made of two halves that have virtually nothing in common. The first part, taking place at Parris Island is, all in all trite in the obnoxious devices commanded by Lee Ermey who nevertheless gives a genuine performance. It's the least he could do since he was a former instructor. Hartmann's humiliating methods aim at imposing discipline and hatred. But there's nothing new under the sun because many films and TV movies already showed it. And the evolution of Pyle is highly debatable. How can a dumb young man can progress in such a fast way? His suicide is at a pinch understandable.
As for the second part, i's hardly satisfying even if the scenery if impressive and original for it is made of ruins of a city. The filmmaker also makes us really share the fears of the bunch of soldiers trapped by an invisible snipper. But the end spoils the rest for it is pathetic and cozy. Furthermore, his symbolism remains shallow like for instance Joker who wears a badge to suggest the duality of man The only reason Full Metal Jacket distinguishes itself from other war movies is Kubrick's making that favors traveling and geometrical camera movements and shots. In spite of this, the film can't take its place alongside the greatest war movies ever made unlike "2001: a Space Odyssey" with science-fiction.