There are many worth watching movies truthfully illustrating the cruel action happening on the War front. But there are very few films depicting the tough training process faced by the brave soldiers before moving on to that actual blood field as their ultimate destination. And that in fact is the USP of this classic directed by the renowned Stanley Kubrick who always used to come up with a distinctive viewpoint in each film of his displaying a rare & amazing consistency.
But one needs to watch FULL METAL JACKET it with a different kind of mindset as its quite dissimilar to any other war movie made around the killings, pain and hardships faced on the battlefield. The reason being, that firstly it doesn’t move around any specific plot or storyline as such. And secondly it is a film with two distinctive sections talking about two major phases in the life of a soldier joining the force.
The first section of the film is about a group of new recruits who are being trained by a strict, punishing and harsh Sergeant Hartman. And for many friends this might be the better section of the two due to its powerful portrayal of the training camp which even frightens you at times with the kind of conditions the recruits have to face under the strict instructions of their cruel Sergeant. This particular part of the film grips you hard in just 10 minutes as it begins and then you can easily feel the terror listening to the voice or abuses of Sergeant Hartman in the next hour.
The second section of the film gives the viewer an account of the real war-front experiences of the same group of recruits who are sent to Vietnam to show their learned skills in the ongoing war. And in this section Kubrick very subtly tries to present an interesting and intelligent comparison between the training camp and the actual battle field in his own unique style. With a highly realistic execution, excellent cinematography and brilliant background score, Kubrick makes you feel as a participant of the war with guns being fired from all unknown directions pointed towards yourself.
Based on the novel “The Short Timers” by Gustav Hasford, FULL METAL JACKET may turn out to be a docu-drama kind of incomplete film for few friends looking for a usual storyline and the same old manufactured heroic instances of the war enacted on the screen. But if you really wish to see something distinctive giving you a highly realistic account of both the training and its application on the battlefield together, then do watch FULL METAL JACKET as a must because they don’t really make such energetic cinematic gems anymore.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Starring : Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey and Vincent D'Onofrio
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Full Metal Jacket (1987), Movies To See Before You Die War Movies, Not to Be Missed Movies List by Bobby Sing at bobbytalkscinema.com, Best War Movies, Must See Movies List at bobbytalkscinema.com
