Jarheading experience

Rating: Null/10 (13 September 2011)

As a fan of war films I really enjoyed this movie for focusing only on the marines and very little of the war. They are fighting in the Gulf War which this is the only movie I've seen that they are fighting in Dessert Storm. Something people I knew that seen it there is fighting scenes the solders never see combat and that will throw off many audience members if they think they are getting into the traditional war film will blood and guts and explosions.
The story follows many of the marines but the main character is Anthony Swoffward played by Jake Gyllenhall is a kid who only joined because he couldn't get into college and being a Jarhead was in the family his dad joined his grandpa joined. Swoff gets to be a scout sniper one of the coolest things in the marines. One complaint there is the whole sniper thing doesn't even matter until the end otherwise the whole movie could just be about a marine with no special title like a sniper.
The emotional aspect in this movie is deep almost a little too emotional. There is one scene where the marines are watching a sex video and one notices it is his wife and neighbor and that is just one of those holy crap moments where you feel for this marine who isn't even part of the main cast. Besides the wives and girlfriends cheating on these guys you also see the war take it's hold on these guys either they have emotional break downs or they turn psycho.
The action in this is phenomenal Jake Gyllenhall is great in this he really seems human in this role and you sympathize with him. Another great performance is by Peter Sarsgaard he plays great as the guy holding the marines together and he has this emotional scene towards the end that just leaves you feeling sorry for this poor guy. The weakest of them all was Jamie Foxx he has the funnest lines in the movie but has no emotion to him he is kind of a flat character compared to the rest of the cast.
Overall I think this is a very unappreciated war film and it has its problems but is not to be overlooked I say a good rental and you will be satisfied with what this movie bring to the table.