Like fine wine, it has aged so well

Rating: 10/10 (20 October 2006)

pages of pages of user comments here have already'sung this fantastic film's praises. The ultra-memorable Parris Island sequence featuring Gunnery Sgt. Hartman (whom, I would wager, no-one -- at least no adult male - can ever forget seeing. That's how memorably mean he really is) - Pvt. Pyle's descent, the final scenes with the sniper, etc.etc. It's simply a sublime movie, and no-one questions it.
No, what I'd like to add is that this movie looks and feels simply spectacular. Stanley Kubrick's patented long takes, slow zooms and steadicam work, which permeate such wonders as "A Clockwork Orange" and "The Shining", are in full effect here, as well. The outdoor Vietnam sets are huge, foreboding and 100% real (they were sites in England set for demolition, but put to astoundingly good use as burned-out Vietnamese cities). This really shows how visceral a movie can be - and with not a single CGI shot in the entire movie! That's the coup de grace of this film, which will keep it looking more and more impressive for every passing year. A remake of "Full Metal Jacket" would feature copious computer graphics, and it would look a lot worse. The genius of this film is that it feels so real because it is.
This is a must-see film. So see it. At least three times over the course of your life.