FULL METAL JACKET(1987) REVIEW

FULL METAL JACKET(1987) REVIEW:

RATING: 5/5 STARS

"This is my rifle; this is my gun, this is for shooting, this is for fun."

MOSTLY SPOILER-FREE (READ AT YOUR OWN RISK):

We can't ignore how brutal the Vietnam war was. It's a stain in American history and was a futile and useless war. Stanley Kubrick attaches his name to one of the greatest commentaries on this war and delivers a somber message under an "action-packed" veneer.

The former half of the movie is what everybody remembers. They all know about Pvt. Pyle's descent into madness as he is bullied by his platoonmates and the Drill Sgt., Sgt. Hartman. R. Lee Ermey gives the most memorable performance of the 80s as he plays the role of a Vietnam war era drill sergeant perfectly. Vincent D'Onofrio also provides a stellar performance despite not being in the movie in the latter half.

Although the second half of the story is widely looked over, it shows the brutality of the Vietnam War. It also shows the mentality held by American soldiers at the time; the "shoot now, ask questions later" mentality led to some of the most vile scenes in the movie. For example, the dead teenage Vietnamese soldier is treated as merely a prop by the Americans in order to garner a laugh from their peers.

The final scene has the remaining soldiers returning back to their base while singing "Mickey Mouse." This shows that these men, barely adults, have been thrown into a war and have witnessed horrors that no one should ever see. The "Mickey Mouse" song represents the lost innocence and naivety that these soldiers will never have again.

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen; if I could give it 10/5 stars, I would.

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