Jarhead Brings Gulf War Home

Rating: 7/10 (6 November 2005)

I remember the Gulf War all too well. It was my own initial experience with a "television war" (those who are older doubtless remember that the Viet Nam war was the very first of those), and I was terrified of the repercussions even as I couldn't look away from the anti-aircraft tracers lighting up my TV screen.
Jarhead, as many people know, is a slang term for a US Marine. One of those newly minted jarheads is Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) who, largely to even his own surprise, finds himself enduring the rigors of basic training and then still more brutal training for his assigned specialty. Swoff tells one drill sergeant that he's in the Marines only because he "took a wrong turn on the way to college." His explanation doesn't go over well. Later, he does everything he can think of to drum himself out of the Corps.
Eventually, between the friendship and support of his partner, Allen Troy (Peter Sarsgaard) and the tough example set by his commander, Staff Sergeant Sykes (Jamie Foxx), Swoff becomes very, very good at his new job: a scout sniper. Needless to say, when the news breaks that Saddam Hussein has invaded Kuwait, Swoff's group is one of the first to be sent overseas.
The troops are welcomed to the desert by Lt. Col Kazinski (Chris Cooper) who commands a large segment of the Marines deployed there, and who tells them they must maintain constant vigilance and be ready to fight at a moment's notice. But months go by with nothing to do but drills and more drills, and the boredom, anxiety, heat, and desolation of their circumstances begin to wear. The men, of course, find some very creative (and usually very naughty) ways to entertain themselves and each other during this time. But when war is at last declared, they move out like the professionals they've been trained to be.
In the midst of burning oil wells and charred vehicle convoys, Swoff and his company make their way into enemy territory. They endure enemy fire and fear; fights amongst themselves and utter despair. And then, as suddenly as it began, the war is over. But despite the brevity of Swoff's experience (his own fighting war lasts only a little over four days), he and everyone else is changed by their experiences, and not all of those changes are easy to live with.
Jarhead gives us the firsthand experience of one soldier in the Gulf War with all of the attendant good and bad moments. As such, it's fascinating in and of itself. But director Sam Mendes has added dramatically to the story with some truly brilliant edits, some creatively managed flashbacks, and some astounding settings (the burning oil wells are bizarrely heart breaking even as the depiction on screen is awesome; the destruction wreaked by American bombs is graphic and moving). Of course, the fact that the film is based on a book written by the real Anthony Swofford about his own experiences in the Gulf War means that even Hollywood effects can't take away from the back of our minds that much of what we see is real, or at least was.
Jake Gyllenhaal has become a very good actor indeed, and holds his own with Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, whose performance could very well garner him another awards season nod for his supporting role. Peter Sarsgaard is also just terrific. The rest of the supporting cast  who have far more limited roles  is also good. In fact, the one real criticism I have about the film is that I would have liked to have known more about each of the men who served so honorably and who were so altered by that experience.
Jarhead isn't a war movie per se in the sense that it shows a lot of shoot 'em up action. But it may be one of the few war movies that actually conveys graphically the sheer boredom and hurry-up-and-wait that is the reality for many soldiers. And that the men perform so well despite the emotional obstacles of where they are and what they might have to do, and that they're a cohesive group when it counts no matter the flaws of each or any of them, is unquestionably honored here. I recommend Jarhead for virtually everybody.
POLITICAL NOTES: The comparison between the Gulf War and the current conflict in Iraq is inevitable, particularly as some continue to believe that Saddam Hussein should have been deposed in that war rather than as a part and parcel of the current and ongoing War on Terror. But the very real difference between the two is that in the first, Americans were viewed as the liberators of Kuwait. In the latter, some countries look at Americans as the despots who overthrew a sovereign nation. While perception doesn't win or lose battles, it does make the difference between victory and defeat in the court of public opinion.
Obviously, it's tempting to call that opinion inconsequential. But the reality of it is that such opinion can shape alliances, trade, and more for years to come thus making mere perceptions important to everything from national security to economic health. Regardless, however, Jarhead does serve one important function and that's to humanize our fighting men and to reinforce the fact that they are fighting for our country and for freedom. Whatever your opinion on anything else, I'd hope you'd remember at least that much.
FAMILY SUITABILITY: Jarhead is rated R for "pervasive language, some violent images, and strong sexual content." Parents should be aware that the R rating is entirely warranted. But with that caveat, I'd recommend Jarhead for mature audiences who are interested in current events, the military, or just plain good movie-making.