Not quite the full picture

Rating: 6/10 (31 July 2013)

Stanley Kubrick, the eccentric director is lionised by Hollywood. A man who spent the latter part of his life living in London and shooting his films in England despite them being set elsewhere whether it was outer space, some hotel in the mountains of America or in this case a Vietnam war film.
Full Metal Jacket arrived with plaudits from the critics. It is a film of two halves, the more interesting part being the first half set at boot camp with a sadistic drill instructor.
The second half which is more action orientated, set in Vietnam is less interesting. Why? Because a year earlier we all watched 'Platoon' which swept the big prizes at the Oscars and directed by someone who served in Vietnam.
Platoon fully conveyed the anti war message and politics of it all now that some years have passed by since the war ended.
The Vietnam films were done better in Platoon and Apocalypse Now. Also these films were at least filmed in a far east location whether it would be the Philippines or Thailand.
Full Metal Jacket was filmed in various parts of London dressed up as Vietnam. It shows, the sets do not look authentic, you do not get the feeling you are in the far east and it shows up the limitations of the second half of the story.