its not about fighting...its about NOT fighting

Rating: 8/10 (24 July 2007)

First off. Don't go into this film expecting some hard boiled, guns blazing epic about heroics in the heat of combat. This isn't told from the point of view which fans of old WW2 maybe familiar with. So please don't say "It didn't have any fighting in it" after the movie ends, as thats the point of the film.
The story follows in the steps of raw marine recruits, or Jarheads, primarily Anthony Sworford (Jake Gyllenthal) who are just starting their tour of duty in Iraq. Being in their late teens early 20's they are pumped up, full of testosterone, and ready for some action. But as the film progresses, it dawns on them they misunderstood what "war" actually is. Gone are the days of cavalry charges, battleground gunfights, valour. Man has been replaced by machine, war has become about technology, not about courage.
Hoever, they are all in the same situation, young, inexperienced, far from home, and fighting against an enemy they can't see. Comradeship plays a key part in this move, as the marines realise all they have is each other, the marine next to them. They begin to form bonds that can never be broken, as they face the unpleasant pressures of war together.
Sam Mendes does a terrific job in the directors chair, with Thomas Newman contributing to a brilliant score as always. The cinematography of the vast open landscapes, burning oil fields and sweltering hot deserts is spot on, and helps create the atmosphere for this film.