a powerful and harrowing story masterfully told by Kubrick

Rating: Null/10 (23 April 2002)

Exceptional, powerfully in-depth story chronicles a group of Marine recruits and their experiences in the Vietnam War. The first half begins with a gut-wrenching depiction of basic training on Parris Island where recruits struggle to maintain their strength and sanity as they endure pure hell at the hands of their no-nonsense drill instructor (a dynamic Ermey). The second half traces their deadly mission through combat in Vietnam, where they try to utilize their dehumanizing training experiences to battle the enemy. The hardships of war shown in the film's latter half are more familiar, but as a whole the film is compelling, insightful, and extremely well-acted. A remarkably gritty and believable portrait that shows the transformation of naive recruits into hardened soldiers. ***½