All wars are different. All war movies are the same

Rating: 6/10 (30 October 2006)

Jarhead follows the dramatic experiences of a US marine (and his unit) during the first gulf war. The movie makes an effort to stay away from the justifications for the war, focusing rather on the effects it had on the marines involved.
If you enjoyed Tigerland, Platoon and Saving Private Ryan, this movie should high on your ratings list...until you watch it.
The film will does not make a deep impact. The experiences of the marines are shown as dramatic, but not traumatic. The casualty scenes are graphic but not shocking. The scenery should be captivating but it looks fake and digitally enhanced. As a result, it has a clinical, almost distant, feel to it. It feels like you are watching a story rather than being able to relate to any of the characters.
In a genre that demands powerful and thought-provoking film-making, this film is not even a shadow of Platoon or Apocalypse now. It lacks the ground-breaking style and sheer impact of either.
The lead actors, although talented and charismatic, don't have the screen presence nor power of delivery needed to transform the story into a memorable film. That said, Jamie Foxx turns in a wonderful performance and steals the show as the platoon leader. But he's definitely no Robert Duvall or Martin Sheen.
This is an interesting movie, with some touching scenes and fantastic dialogue. Ultimately it lacks depth and impact. Consequently it becomes just another movie in an over-exploited genre that hasn't seen anything ground-breaking in years.