Good, but not excellent

Rating: 8/10 (21 January 2006)

I found this film very good, great characters, and what felt like an honest portrayal of one persons service in the marine corps.
There were some excellent visual moods in this film, as well as some great music from the same composer that Mendes used for American beauty..
May not be Mendes' best film, but very enjoyable none the least. Go to it not expecting a war film, and enjoy the subtle beauties of this film. Go to it expecting a war film, and leave feeling unfulfilled
Jake Gyllenhaal, although slightly irritating, gives a convincing portrayal of the main character, jarhead Anthoney Swafford, and also an insight to how the marines lived parts of their lives, as well as their terminology and group interactions. Although parts of the film i found unrealistic and did not straight out believe them, they were few and far between, and the film is worth going to see, if not for the fact that it is different.