Starts to Run on Empty.

Rating: Null/10 (12 December 2002)

Stanley Kubrick's ode to Vietnam splits in two with the first half focusing on intense basic training within the Army and the last half providing insight on actual combat. The idealistic Matthew Modine is followed from his induction to the bloody battles on foreign soil. Early on Modine meets crazed drill sergeant R. Lee Ermey (in an unforgettable performance) and learns real fast that military life is unlike anything else. Chubby recruit Vincent D'Onofrio gets the brunt of Ermey's wrath and also becomes an outcast among his peers. He heads down a dark, winding path of destruction that will effect not only himself, but also Modine and Ermey. When in Vietnam, Modine reunites with another fellow recruit (Arliss Howard) and more chaos strikes. Kubrick's direction unfortunately becomes a bit prodding and the climax of the production comes way too fast. The end of the film's first half will leave you shaken and nothing in the second half can match the dominance of the first hour of play. "Full Metal Jacket" is one of those ambitious productions that ends up eventually losing its way as the clock continues to tick. Still a good film, but way down the list of great war films and great Kubrick productions. 4 stars out of 5.