Uncany and all too believable.

Rating: 9/10 (2 February 2009)

For Stanley Kubrick, this material isn't necessarily new ground. He certainly covered the ideas and motivations behind war in Paths of Glory as well in parts of Dr. Strangelove and Barry Lyndon. Here, he took his most modern take on perhaps the most complex and enigmatic war the United States ever took part of. We follow closely a group of Marine trainees as they pass through many tests in order to become one of the Corps. For the first 45 minutes or so, the drama is unparalleled. On an island totally dominated by an unflinching and cruel drill instructor, these young boys quickly are forced to grow up and become the mindless and dehumanized killers the Marines require. It is here Kubrick seems to have much sympathy for all the privates as they gain knowledge, courage and strength but lose all sense of humanity.
The second part follows Private Joker and Rafterman, a journalist and photographer on search for a story to up the morale of the US troops. Unfortunately, they discover that what they have trained for is to simply survive and this is the part where you might just be unable to peel your eyes from the action. If you have seen any war film before, you know how realistic and brutal the action scenes can be. Kubrick, perhaps the greatest atmospheric director ever, plunges us into the middle of an attack on Hue City as well as sneak attacks and other very real and very scary situations.
I have to say this is a very unique war film in terms of American cinema. Being the most powerful country in the last half century, our position in any war usually affects the outcome. This is certainly the case in movies like Saving Private Ryan or Platoon. Full Metal Jacket, however, is much more personal than any other war film I have seen. These are sympathetic characters despite their attitude to life and the Vietnamese. Perhaps this is Kubrick's point. For the naysayers, I can understand why they would like the first half and not the second. True, they are polar opposites and at times the film feels like it is wandering aimlessly. But that is exactly what Kubrick wanted. Just like the soldiers themselves, we feel like their is no purpose in this foreign wasteland. Why are we here? Have we accomplished anything? Those are questions you can ask about the war today, which makes Full Metal Jacket all the more creepily prophetic.