Full Metal Jacket (DVD)

Kubrick's speciality, Kubrick's way, was the telling of stories, situations and people that represent the dark side of life. Kubrick would present a picture of a situation that you'd rather really not see, but know exists. Whether it's Alex raping the author's wife in A Clockwork Orange, the temptation by Lolita or some of the scenes in this film, Kubrick at his most basic, knew how to get to you. And that talent especially helped Full Metal Jacket.

Like everyone of Kubrick's films that I've loved, I started off not liking this. It wasn't so much the content, or the ability of the actors. I just never completely understood it as a film. But on the basis of reputation, I tried it again. And I was easily persuaded.

Full Metal Jacket, based on Gustav Hasford and the novel The Short Timers is divided into two seperate sections, the first dealing with the training process, showing a group of new recruits dealing with a bitter and sadistic drill sergeant (played by the excellently type cast Lee Ermey). The second deals with the actual war experience itself, following the story of one of the original recruits, Private Joker, and his experience in Vietnam as a military journalist.

The cast, as always for Kubrick, is perfect. Matthew Modine is excellent as Private Joker, the 'hero' of the piece, so to speak. Vincent D'Oforio plays Private Pyle, prehaps one of the most unforgettable movie characters of the 1980's. Lee Ermey is also fantastic as the drill sergeant, the character based on Ermey's real life career in the Marines.

The film was filmed virtually completly in the UK, save for stock footage of Parris Island, US. This for the most part is unnoticeable, as the war scenes were filmed in the run down Isle of Dogs, London. On a few occasions you become aware of British road signs, and one scene where you see a cell phone tower (!)

Full Metal Jacket is a great Kubrick film. Sure, it's several paces off 2001 or Clockwork Orange, but overall the film is very much like Clockwork, at least in tone. The film doesn't quite match 2001, Clockwork Orange and Paths of Glory (which as a war film is far superior) but is definately one of the great Kubrick films.