The duality of men

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2016)

"You write born to kill on your helmet and wear a peace button. What's that supposed to be? Some kind of sick joke?" "I think I was trying to suggest something about the duality of man, sir." It only stroke me after the movie that there were so many duality, so many contradiction in men. The helmet and and peace metal is most apparent. Then there's how the training in the Marines turns men into ruthless killing machines and how a whole platoon of people bully on Private Pyle, while there's also how soldiers risks their own lives to save their teammates. Or there's how soldiers think they're helping the Vietnamese and wonder why they don't appreciate it, while the Marines are actually ruining the country (it wasn't the last time). And there how Private Joker would bloodily kill every enemy on the battlefield, but hesitate to shoot the girl sniper. Full Metal Jacket doesn't say we should end wars. It implies that though war is horrifying and wrong in every way, human won't stop it. That's duality. Of course, much of this could be contributed to the author of the novel that Full Metal Jacket adapted from. What Kubrick does really well in is taking the audience into the Marines and the Vietnam War. The Marine officer in the 1st part of the movie is much more horrifying than J.K. Simons in Whiplash. And every time he talks, I feel he is actually shouting in my face. The long shots also really draw the audience into the war scenes.