Full Metal Jacket (1987)

[jdionio]

To think, it's almost required viewing if you're joining the military and half the shit they do in boot isn't allowed any more, like the DI/DS punching recruits, blanket parties, the cadences they called out, or the "harsh language" towards the recruits.

 

[Screwtape]

To think, it's almost required viewing if you're joining the military and half the shit they do in boot isn't allowed any more, like the DI/DS punching recruits, blanket parties, the cadences they called out, or the "harsh language" towards the recruits.

The Marines recently had a recruit commit suicide at Parris Island for just these sorts of things. When I went through boot camp there 25 years ago, we were most certainly sworn at, the cadences were vulgar, and I was personally struck twice. That's a hard culture to change.

Agree with TS, the second half of FMJ was weak relative to the first half.

 

[Mike]

Great op that captures how I felt watching it as a teenager, but couldn't really articulate. The best boot camp scenes I've ever seen, followed by one of the worst depictions of nam I've ever seen.



As you mentioned the sets used for Nam don't feel authentic, that entire part of the movie feels like it was shot next to old abandoned buildings.


Unfortunate because the first act sets up such a feeling of tension that you're expecting something on the level of savings private ryan when it comes to the battle scenes.


Instead the movie slowly deflates to the level of a made for tv low budget movie of the week.

 

[Pixelated Porn]

Cutting off the second half is absolutely stupid. The whole point of the movie is about turning people into killing machines. Basic training is the start of this and at the end when he kills the sniper even joker becomes a killing machine.
The 1st half is funny as fuck. 2nd half has lots of great shit but I guess it is more philosophical. You have the hookers, the paper wanting to BS on casualties, battle scenes, the scene shooting all the people in the helicopter, taking pictures with the dead viets, and the sniper scene. Which if all you want is just comedy and mindless action then yes the second half might not be for you.
People say the same shit about clockwork orange. That the first half was great and the second was boring. But again, you need both halves for the movie.
Maybe people are just not kubrick fans.

As far as it not being in vietnam, who gives a fuck. It looks good enough for the movie.

 

[Skarr]

cut out the 2nd half? Then we would never have the "me so horrrny -- me love you long time" quote

you got girlfriend vietnam???

love the movie, as someone else said Eyes wide shut was by far worse than this

the interviews youre on about are an attempt to show what differeing attitudes of some of the soldiers over there were like, the filming locations they used never bothered me...but youre right about it looking like part of war torn europe

the movie has some great lines in it...not only in the bootcamp scenes but onward thruout the whole film

the shooting women and children line
the no boom boom with soul/sun brother ((too booku))
the 5 dolla make ya holla
etc etc

I dont think its in the same league as Apocalypse Now((what is??)) but it has its place, I for sure wouldnt call it a piece of crap

probably my favorite vietnam movies in loose order are
Apoc Now
Hamburger Hill
Full Metal
Thin Red Line
Platoon
with the bottom 4 pretty much easily interchangable

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

you got girlfriend vietnam???

love the movie, as someone else said Eyes wide shut was by far worse than this

the interviews youre on about are an attempt to show what differeing attitudes of some of the soldiers over there were like, the filming locations they used never bothered me...but youre right about it looking like part of war torn europe

the movie has some great lines in it...not only in the bootcamp scenes but onward thruout the whole film

the shooting women and children line
the no boom boom with soul/sun brother ((too booku))
the 5 dolla make ya holla
etc etc

I dont think its in the same league as Apocalypse Now((what is??)) but it has its place, I for sure wouldnt call it a piece of crap

probably my favorite vietnam movies in loose order are
Apoc Now
Hamburger Hill
Full Metal
Thin Red Line
Platoon
with the bottom 4 pretty much easily interchangable

I agree, the 2nd half may not be as unique or introspective as the first, but it's still great with some iconic and memorable scenes.

Good list (although thin red line is WW 2) I enjoyed all those movies -- and I would also add 'when we were soldiers' but I find a lot of people didn't enjoy that as much.

Also, really like the Vietnam portions of Dead Presidents and Forrest Gump.

 

[Zax0r]

you got girlfriend vietnam???

love the movie, as someone else said Eyes wide shut was by far worse than this

the interviews youre on about are an attempt to show what differeing attitudes of some of the soldiers over there were like, the filming locations they used never bothered me...but youre right about it looking like part of war torn europe

the movie has some great lines in it...not only in the bootcamp scenes but onward thruout the whole film

the shooting women and children line
the no boom boom with soul/sun brother ((too booku))
the 5 dolla make ya holla
etc etc

I dont think its in the same league as Apocalypse Now((what is??)) but it has its place, I for sure wouldnt call it a piece of crap

probably my favorite vietnam movies in loose order are
Apoc Now
Hamburger Hill
Full Metal
Thin Red Line
Platoon
with the bottom 4 pretty much easily interchangable

I thought thin red line was ww2.

 

[Krav McGraw]

I like the second half better. Especially Animal Mother.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

Let's talk about Full Metal Jacket.

I'll cut to the chase. When considered as a whole, it is in the running for my least favorite Kubrick film.

I could watch the first half over and over again. If I had to watch the first AND second half, I'll decline the whole thing.

The first half of this film is absolutely fantastic. The second half of this film is barely even average. The second half of this film I consider to be inferior to Hamburger Hill, let alone Platoon.

With the first half of this film, Kubrick made the definitive movie about bullying. It's a masterpiece. I wish the movie had ended there, because once Matthew Modine ships off to Vietnam, the film has a number of issues.

His time in the press office is boring, and allows the more annoying aspects of his character to shine through.

Once he's in the field, it was obvious that it wasn't shot in Vietnam or anything like it. It looked like some deserted British cement factory with three palm trees stuck there to pass it off as Southeast Asia. It didn't have the feel of Vietnam at all, and I was surprised a perfectionist like Kubrick would fail in presenting his setting, given how masterfully he has done that in the past.

The portion with the interviews of the platoon where they are talking to the camera...it's terrible. It's filler. It's the worst few minutes of any Kubrick film ever, hands down.



What does this boring, static scene add for the characters that wasn't shown in or couldn't have been added through the characters interacting with each other? It was really important to show how these guys act when they know they're on camera?

Once they're dealing with the sniper, the quality picks up again, though nowhere near the level of the first half in boot camp.

I think the third quarter of this film is Kubrick's worst work of his career. It's unfortunate that it's included in the same film as the first half of the movie.

Disagree. The field stuff has some great moments and great lines.


'These are great times we're living in bro's, we're jolly green giants walking the Earth, with guns'

The 'me so horny' scene

'The dead know only one thing, it is better to be alive'

'Hey jungle bunny, thank god for the sickle cell' -anything Animal Mother related..


That movie is solid gold all the way thru imo. Most of the quotable stuff from that film happens in the 2nd act. My favorite nam film along with Hamburger Hill.

 

[cabear]

I agree, the second half (to me) is way more interesting.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Animal Mother and the Door Gunner on their own make the second half of the movie worth watching.

"Anyone who runs is a VC! Anyone who stands still is a well disciplined VC!"

 

[KnightTemplar]

I also like the part where the black guy refers to his dick as "pure Alabama blacksnake".

"But there ain't no God damn way it's too beacoup!"

 

[leto1776]

I think the younger you are, the less the 2nd part appeals to you. I've only recently begun to appreciate the second half of the movie, 5 years after I separated from the service.

BTW, TS, not all of the Vietnam war was fought in the jungle. I kind of like the urban setting; it seperates this film from every other Vietnam war movie.

 

[Big L]

Let's talk about Full Metal Jacket.

I'll cut to the chase. When considered as a whole, it is in the running for my least favorite Kubrick film.

I could watch the first half over and over again. If I had to watch the first AND second half, I'll decline the whole thing.

The first half of this film is absolutely fantastic. The second half of this film is barely even average. The second half of this film I consider to be inferior to Hamburger Hill, let alone Platoon.

With the first half of this film, Kubrick made the definitive movie about bullying. It's a masterpiece. I wish the movie had ended there, because once Matthew Modine ships off to Vietnam, the film has a number of issues.

His time in the press office is boring, and allows the more annoying aspects of his character to shine through.

Once he's in the field, it was obvious that it wasn't shot in Vietnam or anything like it. It looked like some deserted British cement factory with three palm trees stuck there to pass it off as Southeast Asia. It didn't have the feel of Vietnam at all, and I was surprised a perfectionist like Kubrick would fail in presenting his setting, given how masterfully he has done that in the past.

The portion with the interviews of the platoon where they are talking to the camera...it's terrible. It's filler. It's the worst few minutes of any Kubrick film ever, hands down.



What does this boring, static scene add for the characters that wasn't shown in or couldn't have been added through the characters interacting with each other? It was really important to show how these guys act when they know they're on camera?

Once they're dealing with the sniper, the quality picks up again, though nowhere near the level of the first half in boot camp.

I think the third quarter of this film is Kubrick's worst work of his career. It's unfortunate that it's included in the same film as the first half of the movie.

Have you made this thread before? I remember someone saying that Full Metal Jacket sucked and Eyes Wide Shut was the best. May not have been you, it's just a little surprising that there's at least a few people that dislike this film.

Obviously it's all opinion so rock on with however you feel but personally I think it's the second best war movie after Saving Private Ryan.

 

[Eater of Souls]

The acting is so shitty, Ermey is the best actor in the flick.
All respect to Kubrick, but in his efforts to maintain realism, he hired people who read lines very woodenly.

Well, Ermey had the advantage of being an actual DI. Reminded me of my time on the island.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Well, Ermey had the advantage of being an actual DI. Reminded me of my time on the island.

His performance was well earned according to how he won the role.

I like watching that film but the acting is sometimes wince-inducing.
How Modine's career never took off is completely non-mysterious.

 

[Skarr]

I thought thin red line was ww2.

ahhh youre right, not sure why that popped into my head, I kept getting the feeling I was missing a movie from my little list

 

[Eater of Souls]

His performance was well earned according to how he won the role.

I like watching that film but the acting is sometimes wince-inducing.
How Modine's career never took off is completely non-mysterious.

Never really been a fan of Modine, but I laugh hysterically through the first half of the film, all due to Ermey.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Never really been a fan of Modine, but I laugh hysterically through the first half of the film, all due to Ermey.

"You look like about two hundred, fifty pounds of chewed bubble gum" always made me laugh.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

Animal Mother and the Door Gunner on their own make the second half of the movie worth watching.

"Anyone who runs is a VC! Anyone who stands still is a well disciplined VC!"

'Even women and children?!?'

'Yeah, sometimes.... Aint war hell haha..'

That door gunner scene is hilarious and fucked up all at the same time. Funny thing is, talking to Nam vets many of them will tell some crazy stories about the door gunners that were on the Jolly greens. Ive been told more than a few times almost all of them had screws loose.