Oohrah! Full Metal Jacket. This haunted portrayal of war is insanity well told. Me love it, long time.

Rating: 9/10 (31 August 2018)

Being a soldier in the Vietnam War era had to be rough. Not only, was the war in Southeast Asia, a very arduous and evolving moral challenging affair, but going through boot camp for that date with the enemy was not kind. Especially, if you had to go through it, with a rigorous Senior Drill Instructor like Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermy). However, somehow, Private Joker (Matthew Modine) was able to get survive this, only to find himself, in a world of hurt, once he finally see combat, and had to make the final choice to kill or not. Could he pull the trigger? Watch the film, to find out. Without spoiling the movie, too much; this film was loosely based on a book by author, Gustav Hasford called 'The Short Timers', which he wrote whilst serving in Vietnam. Both director, Stanley Kubrick, and screenwriter, Michael Herr, adapted this book into the screenplay, changing parts of it. While, the movie faithfully reproduces the first section of the novel, "The Spirit of the Bayonet", with only minor differences in events and names. The second part of the movie change a lot of the dialogue, scenarios, and characters; by combining elements from chapters 'Body Count' and 'Grunt' & merging them into one to save the movie from a long runtime. Because of this, several key important sequences were left out or change, including: a character lapse into cannibalism, a tank running over people, and the real person, the protagonist has to force to kill. Because of this, Kubrick and Hasford did not get along, it got worst, when the filmmaker worried that the book's title might be misread by audiences as referring to people who only did half a day's work. In order to further distanced himself from the original author, Kubrick changed the title of the film to what it is today after discovering the phrase while going through a gun catalogue. This was finally draw, as Hasford didn't meet Kubrick ever again, nor attend the Oscar ceremonies when the screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award. Anyways, regardless of the writing dispute, the movie is probably best remember for the scenes at Parris Island, at the Marine Corp Boot Camp, as most critics and audience love Ermy's portrayal as the strict drill instructor. His over the top bellowing acting & the comedic funny insults to Private Gomer Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) were by far, the most entertaining part of the film. However, it wasn't his first acting role like some critics may want to think. In truth, he play a similar character in Sidney J. Furie's 1978's film, 'The Boys in Company C'. Honestly, if you look at both movies as a whole, you would find a lot of similarities between them besides Ermy, to the point, that some critics believe that Kubrick & Hasford might have stolen ideas from Furie's work, or Furie's adapted Hasford's story without giving him, credit. It's hard to tell, who is the right and who is the wrong. All, I know, is both films, showcase the exposition of dehumanization & the loss of individuality and that catapults into men into fighting machines so well, with this movie's boot camp sequences being a little more accurate. Psychological & mentally conditioning techniques like the ones, show in the film, are indeed used to sharpen recruits, in order for them to obey all orders, work together, face mortal danger, and kill their opponents in battle. However, I really doubt, much of physically hitting used by Hartman is allowed, even back then, without embroiled in controversy. As for the film's portrayal of marines in Vietnam. It could easily be mistaken for another film, as the footage looks and feels like other over the top, somewhat cartoony, Vietnam War films from that era, including 1979's film 'Apocalypse Now'. While, it's true, heinous acts were commit by some of them. Nevertheless, most of the vets out there, were highly discipline and acted accorded to qualities of what a good combatant should be. In short, they were more like the realism soldiers in 1986's film 'Platoon', than the shocking extremists of Francis Ford Coppola's movie. Regardless of that, the movie does a strong second half, both in action and moral message. It does not all fall apart or seem disjointed as some people think. The journalism parts are great examples of this. They're very interesting, as the men interviews in a faux like documentary perspective really have no clue, who they, even fighting against and why. Nor if they really winning the world. I like how each of their answers ranges from topics like lack of sex, religionist duty to downright insanity. It mirrors to every coercive persuasion that people like Hartman altered into them, in order to reduce the subject's ability to think critically or independently. I also love, how it foreshadows, future events. As for the ending with the sniper, it's very much of a symbol of loss of innocence. No wonder, the movie ends with a satirizing military infusing singing of a children song. It's haunting. Even the catchy pop songs were very well used. Most of the music compose by Kubrick's daughter, Abigail Mead was also great. The creepy industry background music in the climax is one such example. Compelling as hell. Those scenes in Hae must had been difficult to shot with all those chemicals in the air. No wonder, why the movie took forever to film. Despite that, the movie is very well shot. As for acting, all the performers did their jobs; but D'Onofrio really shines, as he gained 70 pounds to play Pyle. Talk about going to great lengths for a role. Best acting in the film, by far. Overall: Despite some flaws. If you want to get some! Go see this movie! It's a poignant masterpiece. It's a must watch for any Kubrick fan.