JARHEAD

THIS IS THE DESERT SHIELD / STORM VERSION OF FULL METAL JACKET. FULL METAL IS ONE OF THE GREAT MILITARY MOVIES OF ALL TIME. THIS FILM IS EXCELLENT IN ITS OWN RIGHT, EVEN IF NOT AS CONSISTENTLY POWERFUL AS THE VIETNAM ERA FILM.
JAKE GYLLENHAAL, PETER SARSGAARD, JAMIE FOXX, CHRIS COOPER
AND DENNIS HAYSBERT, ALL TURN IN FINE PERFORMANCES.
THE GREAT QUOTES ARE ----
THE WARNING TO THE TROOPS TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF
SUSPICIOUS ALERTNESS - THE STATEMENT THAT
EVERY WAR IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY WAR IS THE SAME - THE GROUP RECITAL OF THE LOVE LETTER TO THEIR RIFLES - ALSO HEARD IN FULL METAL JACKET.
ONCE AGAIN, I WARN, DON'T GO TO A STORY ABOUT WAR AND THE MARINE CORP AND SAY YOU ARE AGAINST VIOLENCE AND CRUDE BEHAVIOR -- IT IS A WAR MOVIE.
THEN AGAIN, WHAT MAKES THIS PICTURE SPECIAL, IS THAT IT IS NOT JUST A WAR MOVIE - THE COMBAT ACTION IS NOT THE POINT - THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRAIN AND DRAIN ON THE MINDS OF THE MEN IS THE TRUE MESSAGE OF THIS FILM.
IN A WAY, THIS IS A WAR FILM ABOUT THE STRESS OF TRAINING A GROUP OF MEN TO KILL AND THEN ASKING THEM NOT TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN GEARED UP TO DO.
THE SHARING OF A COMMON LIFESTYLE AND THE BONDING THAT PRODUCES IS
A TREMENDOUS ELEMENT IN THIS FILM -- THIS BONDING IS NOT ALWAYS THE FEEL GOOD KIND SHOWN IN LESSER MOVIES - THE BONDING IS BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE - WE OFTEN ABUSE THOSE WHO LOVE US THE MOST.
A ONE MINUTE EPILOGUE, SHOWING THE POST WAR FATE OF SEVERAL OF THE MEN IS VERY WELL DONE AND LEAVES YOU WANTING TO SEE MORE OF THE MEN IN THEIR POST MARINE LIFE.
JARHEAD DOES NOT GLORIFY THE MILITARY OR WAR AND YET, IT IS NOT ANTI MILITARY -- IT IS JUST ONE MAN'S VIEW OF HIS EXPERIENCES AND IT IS TOLD ON THAT LEVEL, IT IS PERSONAL AND THAT IS WHY IT WORKS.
DIRECTOR SAM MENDES DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF PULLING THIS ALL TOGETHER AND MOVING IT TOWARD. HE IS THE MAN BEHIND BOTH AMERICAN BEAUTY AND THE ROAD TO PERDITION