Sarsgaard shines, Miraculous Mendes creates a fantastic version of "Full Metal Jacket" visually and physically

Rating: 8/10 (6 November 2005)

***1/2 Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Brianne Davis, Damion Poitier, Scott MacDonald. Directed by Sam Mendes.
Mendes again brings takes a dramatic look at film as did his others American Beauty and Road to Perdition, now Mendes takes another look at marines in Saudi Arabi during Operation Desert Storm. Gyllenhaal gives an Oscar worthy performance as a stir crazy marine facing the insanity of war and pressure to kill. Unbelievably Sarsgaard gives one of the best performances to date, his over all acting was phenomenal and made the movie all the more sweeter and very dramatic.
The movie following marine sniper Swoff (gyllenhaal) and his counter partner troy (Shinning Sarsgaard) as they battle heat, depression and their Staff Srgt. (Foxx, doing his best to recreate a Lee Ermy styled dictatorship in Full Metal Jacket). Mendes surely is one of the finest directors around and makes lightning strike three times in a row with the help of his actors and the photography team. Even the setting plays a character in his third film. Bravo on everyone's part, especially Sarsgaard who will surely win best supporting actor. My final rating 9/10.