review - great movie

Rating: 9/10 (31 January 2006)

Jarhead By Alex Schuurbiers
Sam Mendes' Jarhead is based on Anthony Swofford's book about operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It features Jake Gyllenhaal (as Anothony 'Swoff' Swofford), Peter Sarsgaard (as marine Troy) and Jamie Foxx (as Staff Sergeant Sykes). Set in the Saudi Arabian desert, the movie portrays the mental breakdown which the marines in combat  if you must call it that  are subjected to. If you are looking for a bloody war flick a la Saving Private Ryan, look elsewhere, because this unconventional war picture deliberately fails to include messy battle scenes, which is to be expected of a movie concerning the Gulf War.
The first segment of Jarhead  the marine boot camp  boasts some slight similarities to Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. The nervous recruits, the monstrous drill sergeant, the ruthless combat training and of course the infamous "this is my rifle"-speech. The main difference being, of course, this time it's not another Vietnam film. You get to know the narrator (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his platoon, a bunch on unruly young men with high hopes. Jarhead manages to depict an intense yet funny view of Swoff's regret of joining the marines.
In one of the most intense parts of the movie, the marines are watching the helicopter scene from 'Apocalyse now'. For those of you not familiar with the scene, (be ashamed, I suggest you go watch it immediately) helicopters fly over a beach in Vietnam, shooting the locals, with Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries' resounding at full volume. In Jarhead, you see the Marines singing along at the top of their lungs, as if it were their national anthem. They want to be in combat, they want to fight, they want to kill. Ultimately, they are flown to the Middle East to defend their country and 'kill some Iraqi scum'.
Once in the desert, the Marines are ordered to stand by until combat commences. This takes quite a bit longer than expected. The platoon is tested to the limit, both physically and psychologically. The days are long. Swoff & Co. are faced with several devastating situations, from playing football in NBC suits to cheating spouses. As an audience, you get so sucked into the movie that you actually want to see fighting and bloodshed, because the waiting is taking it's toll.
Overall, Jarhead is an excellent movie. Excellent. Sadly enough, it missed out on any Academy Award Nominations. The movie contains beautiful monologues, which give you an unprecedented look inside a Marines mind. Surprisingly, it also has a great sense of humor, even though it's quite heavy. The use of music in the film was first-rate and perfectly timed, with Bobby McFerrin's 'Don't Worry Be Happy', Nirvana's 'Something in the Way' and Kanye West's 'Jesus Walks'. Also, the striking imagery of burning oil wells got stuck in my mind for days. Jake Gyllenhaal did an excellent job at portraying the demise of Swoff's mental state, but I think Peter Sarsgaard's stunning performance as his troubled companion and mentor outshines the rest. Make love, not war, go see Jarhead. Welcome to The Suck.