The war from hell and the demon drill sergeant

Rating: 6/10 (21 February 2011)

Kubrick's dark and unflinching take on the Vietnam War is as hard to stomach as the nature of America's doomed conflict. It's a film split into two halves, with the first undoubtedly the stronger, depicting the dehumanisation of green recruits as they come under the command of a drill sergeant from hell – a perfectly cast R. Lee Ermey, who dined out on his performance here for many years to come (and deservedly so). The second and longer half of the film follows the troops as they engage in a bloody and brutal conflict which culminates in a show-stopping climax.
The film boasts strong performances, particularly Vincent D'Onofrio as the chubby recruit whose good nature is eroded by his brutal treatment at the hands of both Ermey and his fellow conscripts. Kubrick's style is almost unnoticeable as he delivers a documentary-style movie that focuses on intense dialogue and harsh situations rather than pyrotechnics and explosive battle scenes. While this doesn't add much to the war that we didn't already know about (the '80s was crowded with films like this, PLATOON and HAMBURGER HILL) it proves a strong addition to the director's filmography.