Full Metal Jacket Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Acclaimed by critics as the best war movie ever made
Born to Kill
In Vietnam The Wind Doesn't Blow It Sucks
Vietnam can kill me, but it can't make me care
Full Metal Jacket begins by following the trials and tribulations of a platoon of fresh Marine Corps recruits focusing on the relationship between Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and Privates Pyle and Joker. We see Pyle grow into an instrument of death as Hartman has forseen of all of his recruits. Through Pyle's torment and Joker's unwillingness to stand up against it the climax of part one is achieved with all three main characters deciding their fates by their action or inaction. The second chapter of Full Metal Jacket delves into Joker's psyche and the repeated referal to the fact that he joined the Corps to become a killer. When his mostly behind the scenes job as a combat correspondant is interfered with by the Tet offensive he is thrust into real combat and ultimately must choose if he really is a killer.
| Vincent D'Onofrio | Private Gomer Pyle/Leonard Lawrence |
| Matthew Modine | Private Joker/J.T. Davis |
| Adam Baldwin | Animal Mother |
| R. Lee Ermey | Gunnery Sergeant Hartman |
| Dorian Harewood | Eightball |
| Kevyn Major Howard | Rafterman |
| Arliss Howard | Private Cowboy |
| Ed O'Ross | Lieutenant Touchdown/Walter J. Schinoski |
| John Terry | Lieutenant Lockhart |
| Kieron Jecchinis | Crazy Earl |
| Kirk Taylor | Payback |
| Tim Colceri | Doorgunner |
| Jon Stafford | Doc Jay |
| Bruce Boa | Poge Colonel |
| Ian Tyler | Lieutenant Cleves |
| Stanley Kubrick |
8.20 out of 10 (56162 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Vietnam in Kubrick's Vision.
posted on 31 Aug 2009Vietnam War has inspired many films, ranging from excellent to abominable.
In my opinion there are three outstanding: Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" (1979), Oliver Stone's "Platoon" (1986) and Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" (1987). Each of them shows their director's personal approach to this dramatic and tragic war.
Kubrick has constructed his film in two huge parts: Boots Camp and Vietnam.
The first part is by far the best. The process to transform young "green" civilians into "hard killer" soldiers is shown in depth.
The figure of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman emerges overshadowing everyone with his sadistic methods. He effectively erases all "civil" traits in his charges, straining them to the utmost limit of endurance. Some will resist, some will not. All will be changed into a different person.
The second half is more conventional. Is a war movie with excellent production, photography and Kubrick's splendid choreographic deployment, but quite conventional nonetheless.
Playacting has two outstanding performers: Lee Emery as Sgt. Hartman and Vincent D'Onofrio as Pvt. Pyle. The rest of the cast is good and convincing.
The music score, original from Vivian Kubrick and non-original from various authors, is very good and enhance the scenes they underline.
The final scene with the Marines singing the theme from Mickey Mouse Club is chilling. The contrast between kid's music and devastated battleground is a synthesis of the inferno lived by those almost teenage soldiers.
An interesting film for war films fans and anyone interested in the historical period depicted.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
Kubrick's meditation on the Vietnam War
posted on 31 Aug 2009"Full Metal Jacket" is Director/Producer/Co-Writer Stanley Kubrick's meditation on the Vietnam War.
Typical for Kubrick it has an air of detachment, surrealism, tinged with a nauseous sense of weirdness.
In the first half of the film we have basic training at Parris island, which is portrayed in its strip-lit, hospital-like setting as a kind of mental institution where Marine recruits are brutalized. In the second half set in Vietnam, war is literally hell complete with fire and brimstone.
The film is stunningly photographed, well-acted, and if not totally successful, is certainly memorable.
There are no "extras" on the DVD.
Research the Aspect Ratio
posted on 31 Aug 2009In response to the complaints made by some reviewers that Full Metal Jacket is not available in a widescreen ratio, the full screen ratio shown here was Kubrick's intended ratio for home viewing. Unlike many films that are shot and exhibited in a widescreen ratio, then cropped to a standard ratio for home theater release, Full Metal Jacket was originally shot in standard. For the theatrical release, the top and bottom of the film were cut off to create a widescreen aspect ratio. Then, for the home release, these excised portions of the film were returned. So the full screen dvd version of Full Metal Jacket actually has a larger picture than the widescreen release. If you really desire the widescreen aspect ratio, try out the blu-ray or hd dvd releases of the film. However, if Kubrick originally wanted the film to be released onto video with the standard ratio, have the blu-ray and hd dvd companies completely disregarded his wishes in favor of increasing sales by releasing the widescreen versions, or has the Kubrick family approved the change? One can only wonder
Not a good film
posted on 31 Aug 2009Of all the Vietnam films Ive seen, I think this one is the most disappointing. Not the worst, but considering Kubrick is the director, the expectations automatically grow and by that measure, it is hugely disappointing. From boot camp (which actually is the best part of the film) to Nam, the film never seems to find a correct note. Maybe Kubrick was trying to make a more surreal film about Vietnam, maybe in a way a satire, Im not sure. In any case, it never really works consistently. The subject of Vietnam has produced some of the most haunting films ever, but not in this case. I would put a lot of that blame on the cast. Not once did I believe that any of these characters were real. They came off as second rate actors trying to play soldiers and that is a huge problem with the film. It needed serious actors.
Haunting Image of Parris Island and 'Nam
posted on 31 Aug 2009One of my favorite genres of movies is the Vietnam War movies. I love APOCALYPSE NOW, DEER HUNTER, and PLATOON as well. But FULL METAL JACKET stands alone in it's on unique way. From start to finish, there is an eerie feel/feeling to the movie that only KUBRICK can create.
FULL METAL JACKET is not my favorite Kubrick film, but it is still Kubrick nonetheless and the first part of the movie in Parris Island is one of the most memorable acts ever seen in a movie. This part of the movie is also one of the most unforgettable and realistic exposes of Basic Military Training.
Then suddenly, the story changes to Vietnam. This is where a lot of people are turned off from the movie, but a lot goes on during this part and Kubrick is able to portray the war in his eyes. Though probably incorrect, still very interesting. It really demonstrates how most people sort of lost there minds in Vietnam and didn't really care about the war, but only about each other. TRUE UNITY.
FULL METAL JACKET is a true CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC and one of Stanley Kubrick's many masterpieces. It stands out as one of the most unique war movies ever put on celluloid.
Brutally Honest, and Still Relevant
posted on 31 Aug 2009This movie has been described enough to leave that part out. What has not been stated is the power of the film considered in the context in which it was created. I fear that many of the reviewers who agree that the movie is over the top in some way or unrealistic or flawed have not read much in the way of Viet Nam war history. Even if you discount the fact that Michael Herr (author of Dispatches) and Gustav Hasford (author of The Short Timers) helped Kubrik write the screenplay(!!), you can read any of a number of histories on the war and read similar testimonies.
This movie's power lies in the realistic portrayal of what it meant to be a Marine in Viet Nam. All the horror, some of the dark humor produced, and the true human behavioral ambiguity of surviving a war zone. These were some of the bravest men alive, also some of the scariest, some of the funniest, and some of the craziest. This movie and Kubrik's talent lies in the representation of the men that reveals the training that created them, and then how that translates into real war actions. None of this is to detract from the power of Platoon or Apocolypse Now - also superb movies - but to make sure the fact is known that Full Metal Jacket is equal to their power... actually, if you are a Viet Nam war history scholar as I am, you should have all three for an acurate trifecta of experience!
If you watch the movie - and chat with a few Viet Nam Marine vets - and still do not feel convinced for some reason that this movie is brilliant, check out these great books:
Dispatches - Michael Herr
The Short Timers - Gustav Hasford
Patriots - Christian G. Appy
Bloods - Wallace Terry
A Bright Shinning Lie - Neil Sheehan
Great!
posted on 31 Aug 2009I'd seen this at the movies. I liked it, but, at the time, not as much as "Platoon". Remember? There were several Viet Nam movies close together, plus the TV series "Tour of Duty". After having aged some, I like "Full Metal Jacket" at least as good, but it's different. I ALWAYS liked the first part - BASIC TRAINING. Now I like the second part - THE BATTLE OF HUE - even more than before. This is a great movie, that explores the personalities and relationships of the different Marines more than some other movies. I also like that the fighting is in a developed area (Hue), because a lot of the fighting wasn't in the jungles, and often that's forgotten. This is on par with "Platoon" (but different) and way better than "Hamburger Hill" which was lame.
True to life military film which is why it's my favorite Kubrick film
posted on 31 Aug 2009Full Metal Jacket is one of the best films , Stanley Kubrick ever made. The film has humor, gut wrenching war scenes and brilliant acting. Matthew Modine is great as Joker, but it's Vincet D'Onforio and R.Lee Emery as Pyle and the Drill Sgt. The chemistry between these two actors is of David and Goliath calbiar. The film makes you feel like you're in basic training with the troops and although the film is violent it's still an art form. **** out ****.
As a former Marine, this movie holds a bit of nostalgia for me
posted on 31 Aug 2009I spent 1992-2001 in the Marine Corps Infantry. And this movie is a favorite among Marines no matter where they are.
While I think that it is absolutely inappropriate for children, you will have to make that decision on your own as a parent. But be warned, the language in this movie is very harsh.
R. Lee Ermey plays the part of Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Seargeant Hartman (that's a mouthfull), his euphemisms, mannerisms and behavior are perfect. He absolutely nailed it.
If you've got any friends, relatives or acquaintances that are in the Corps, this is always a winner of a gift. Particularly if they are getting ready for deployment (ship life is a drag).
A caveat about reality...with the demise of conscription and the institution of the "all volunteer force," Drill Instructors no longer administer corporal punishment (i.e. they do not strike the recruits). Anyone who tells you otherwise is either a former recruit trying to embellish the experience (for amorous purposes no doubt), or smear the Marine Corps (for nefarious purposes no doubt).
Great Quality; Great Price; Great Service
posted on 31 Aug 2009The movie arrived just 2 days after ordering and came in perfect condition. The movie quality (picture, sound, etc.) is exactly what it should be.
As for the movie itself, it was a gift for my Dad and he absolutely loved it. I however don't know enough about the film to comment on it.
One of the best
posted on 31 Aug 2009Kubricks Full Metal Jacket deserves it place alongside 'The Deer Hunter', 'Platoon' and 'Apocalypse Now' as the definitive Vietnam war movies.
FMJ is split into two distinct halfs, training and battle. This is unusual in a film, as the standard rule when writing a story is to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Obviously there are always exceptions, and in this case it works because the two part story reflects the grim reality of war. In truth if you can't survive the training there probably isn't much hope for you at war.
The performances are uniformly excellent. More importantly the ending is really quite shocking. If you have seen Dr Strangelove you will realise that this probably reflected Kubricks own view on war. Watching the film again twenty years later, and baring in mind the problems in Iraq and Afganistan it does make you think.
A great film.
Well made, but preachy and overrated.
posted on 31 Aug 2009Having grown up in the shadow of the Vietnam war (long story), I spent a lot of my youth watching Vietnam War films as they began coming out. I've read no small amount of books on the Vietnam war over the past couple of decades, from grunt perspectives to historians, to journalists. I have a mixed opinion on the war itself. It's a complicated war and a complicated subject. Full Metal Jacket is certainly well made, and well acted. I'm not going to go into detail about the pro's and con's or the jarring transition between boot camp and being in the bush. The first half of the film makes its points about training, the military, etc., all fairly heavy handedly, but its one point of view. By the time they reach the second half of the film, the story is so fanciful and so heavy handed that preachy views are constantly bombarding the viewer through one means or another. Sure, there are realistic moments, realistic portrayals of characters who don't have their head on too straight, but the movie just runs things into the ground with a very anti- everything point of view. By the end of the movie, one has viewed what is one of the most stupid and most disrespectful views of service men and the military I have ever seen on film. Ultimately, it reveals that the makers of the film certainly were not terribly knowledgeable about their subject, and it comes off as preachy. It's like listening to a young college student who has read a couple books whine and moan while they show their abundant lack of insight.
Good picture but be careful
posted on 31 Aug 2009I like this movie but as a "former serving Marine"I have a prejudice in this direction and I can fill in some of the things Stanley Kubrick missed or blew by.Except for the broadly played Colonel that chews out Pvt.Joker (Matthew Modine)as the Marines are entering Hue, the cast is very good and Lee Ermey as a former D.I. himself,is outstanding as Sgt.Hartman.This movie definitely deserves the R rating it has.I enjoyed this picture a lot but some Marine buddies I know hate it! You will have to make up your own mind.
"Who's the slimy little communist s*** twinkle-toed c***sucker who just signed his own death warrant?!"
posted on 31 Aug 2009Two years ago, some of Stanley Kubrick's greatest films had been upgraded to 2-Disc Special Edition DVD's. Unfortunately, Full Metal Jacket didn't become a part of the upgrades. Why? It's not only one of Kubrick's most outstanding films, it's also one of the greatest war films ever made. It's full of Kubrick's vintage camera work, Lee Ermey's excessive profanity, and some odd dark humor. The first half of the film deals with physical training in a boot camp. What makes it so unforgettable and so fantastic is R. Lee Ermey (a former Marine drill instructor) with his incredibly brutal dialogue (most of it being ad-libbed). The second half involves the real inferno: the war in Vietnam. Here, Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, and many others are in the city of Hue. And here is where Hell makes its mark, as we watch undeniable chaos ensuing until the end. The second half of the film may be a bit weaker compared to the first half, but I see that all of the boot camp sequences prepare us for what really goes on in Vietnam.
This masterpiece by Kubrick may not be in the same league as Paths of Glory and Dr. Strangelove, but it's still a great one by the God-like filmmaker. Kubrick's usual treatment on war and on human nature is probably why many people call him a genius. And a NOTORIOUS genius, I would add.
Grade: A
Half good half bad
posted on 31 Aug 2009When talking about Full Metal Jacket, it is helpful to break things down into two. That is, a really outstanding depiction of the dehumanizing of basic training recruits in a Marine boot camp. This part of the movie is the best Hollywood representation of the boot camp experience ever made.
Things break down significantly in the transition from boot camp to Viet Nam. "Part two" is detached, makes no sense if you were ever in Viet Nam. And, the landscape is grossly inauthentic. The characters are not well developed, except for the Vietnamese prostitute and her pimp. The ambush scene is contrived and unrealistic. Joker, in the film, is commonly stereotypical -and boring. This is not so in the book.
Gus Hasford, in "Short timers", created an interesting and controversial character who says one thing and acts and does quite differently. Not quite the anti-John Wayne kind of character you get from the film. That's part of Hasford's joke on us. And the entire Vietnam part of the story is radically different from the film with thumbs-up to the story, not the film.
If Kubrick had only adapted the Viet Nam portion of Hasford's book as Hasford wrote it, (but without Hasford's tendency to go over the top in absurdities of characters and plot lines) then Full Metal Jacket would be an outstanding film.
No one can critically say this is a good film. Of course anyone, without an informed opinion can conclude otherwise.
Devildog's best friend
posted on 31 Aug 2009Everyong loves the infamous Boot Camp scene, that's why I got this. The Vietnam story is still good, and gives you an idea on some of the tactics used back then and now. A must buy for fellow Devildogs! OOORRRAAAHHH!