Leonard never makes it out of boot camp. He becomes a displaced killer wannabe looking vainly for battles in which to prove himself. But he gets what he thought he wanted. Shot from over the general's shoulder, this scene makes Joker seem smallish and meek. There's no place in war for the ambiguities that define our humanity.
Few directors can make one successful war film, let alone three.
It's not the greatest war film ever made, but it is one of the most powerful. Full Metal Jacket is at the Michigan Theater March 28.