The Gulf War: A Comedy

Rating: 4/10 (28 January 2007)

This can't be how Marines act or we would have lost every war. This is how sheltered Hollywood people like Sam Mendes see our military though; like over-the-top obnoxious clowns who can barely string three words together or shoot a gun. Also I wouldn't be surprised if Mendes or the original writer of this book were gay, because way too many scenes had these guys dancing around naked and pretending to screw each other. Never have I've seen guys act this way. Not even gay guys. But this is how Hollywood feminine men like to see guys act. The most awful example is when Jake Gyllenhaal is dancing around like a fool wearing nothing but a Santa hat.
The music in the background was way out of place. How can I take a movie seriously when they start playing C&C Music Factory's "Everybody Sweat"? I felt like I was watching an MTV reality show.
There were some good moments in Jarhead, and some decent acting here and there, but as soon as it started to get good, the movie would break into comedy again. Just trying too hard to be funny or absurd. The superior Full Metal Jacket, which Jarhead tried to be like, took the natural absurdity and humor embedded in war and let it speak for itself. This movie instead forces it on you. It really is in an insult to everyone involved to turn war, death and destruction into a comedy unless it's done right. Gyllenhaal's problem with his unfaithful girlfriend was also not handled correctly. This was the seed that caused him to begin to lose his sanity. However the transformation is not well done or convincing. Actually the whole movie is just a mish-mash of points trying to be made that are never really made. It's just one big mess.