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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
impressive, thoughtful war drama, November 29, 2005
"Jarhead" is a war movie not really about war. Rather, it's about that strange time before war, when young men and boys are trained to kill without hesitation or remorse, when group-think and group cohesion become the goal of every soldier, and when the boredom and tedium of waiting for the enemy to strike can be almost as unnerving and unbearable as the horrors of war itself.
The film is based on the true story of Anthony Swofford, a Marine sniper who served in the Gulf War in 1991. The story begins in 1989, as Anthony is undergoing the grueling rigors of boot camp training. When Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait, Anthony is shipped off to the Middle East as part of the operation known as Desert Shield, soon to become Desert Storm. For Anthony and his fellow Marine sharpshooters, it is the waiting that turns out to be the least endurable aspect of the assignment, as they battle the discomforts of life in the Arabian Desert - and often each other.
At no time does "Jarhead" pretend to be anything other than the story of one particular soldier in one particular war; we never get the sense that Anthony is supposed to be representative of all Marines at any given time. As such, the movie eschews politics and philosophy, avoids heavy-handed moralizing and preaching, and refuses to either glorify or denigrate the men who are its subjects. Instead, it keeps it all life-sized and realistic, showing us how ordinary men cope with the extraordinary life of being a Marine in times of peace as well as times of war. Writer William Broyles Jr. makes every moment count as each of the major characters confronts some sort of personal demon, although Broyles never overstates the issues or indulges in cheap theatrics or hyperbole. The men remain complex and real, with each character drawing both strength and weakness from those around him.
Director Sam Mendes keeps the scale intimate and the story tightly focused on the interplay between the men, reserving most of the actual fighting scenes for the final act. The film is filled with memorable moments and unforgettable images that often border on the surrealistic: the boys achieving a near-orgasmic frenzy watching the helicopter scene in "Apocalypse Now;" their stumbling upon endless rows of burned-out vehicles filled with charred corpses of fleeing civilians; oil from set-afire wells raining down from ink-black clouds, turning day into night and covering the earth with a thick coating of sludge and ooze; an oil-drenched horse mysteriously emerging out of nowhere only to disappear back into the vast wasteland of the ruined, darkened landscape. The film is worth seeing for its imagery alone.
Those seeking a traditional war film - one heavily laden with booming artillery and graphic battle scenes - may find "Jarhead" a bit of a slow go at times, but those in the mood for a film about personal relationships set in a military context will find much to celebrate in this movie.
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13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Semper fi, November 4, 2005
The film 'Jarhead' is based on a book of the same name by by Anthony Swofford; both the book and the film are bound to make some people angry. A Marine sniper (STA) during Desert Storm I in the early 1990s, he recounted his experiences there with vivid emotion, weaving in his experiences of boot camp, adolescence, and civilian life after the Corps in the process. This is now a major motion picture chronicling many aspects of his story, with significant differences.
It was apparent in the book, and carries over to the film that Swofford has a chip on his shoulder - something he'll most likely readily admit. He has a 'bad attitude', and in fact revels in it. One wonders if this is a product of his war experiences, his Marine Corps training, or his upbringing. At one point his mother, who never really liked the idea of her son being in the Marines, but who wouldn't stand in her son's way, said 'I lost my baby boy when you went to war.' She described Swofford as being sweet and gentle prior to that, and angry and unhappy afterwards. One wonders how much of a change is there - if one can take the stories at face value, this is the same boy who had a fist-fight with his father over going in the Corps at the age of 17, and who had Marine Corps decals put on his shirts as a child. One of his drill instructors even gave Swofford what he considered a great compliment - 'you'll be a great killer someday.'
I make the caveat that one might not be able to take all of this at face value, because like many men in this kind of situation, Swofford is likely to exaggerate - making some pieces more dramatic and other pieces less so. Swofford recounts many tales of men in his sniper platoon who had adjustment problems after the war; one can but wonder if that is true for Swofford, too. Also, Swofford admits to being willing and able to lie if the cause is, in some internal sense, justified - his dealings with brother, in the Army in Germany who later died of cancer, is a case in point. Then we have the 'made in Hollywood' aspects of the film that mean this can be no documentary, but has to be dramatised. In fact, truth is probably stranger (not necessarily better or worse) than what is portrayed on the screen.
Regardless of the details which may or may not be completely true (and, as with many autobiographical pennings, some of the details are necessarily changed), the emotion certainly is. Perhaps the strongest point that comes across is a sense of disappointment and cynicism - that Swofford has ideals and goals is not at issue, although he does downplay these (he doth protest too much sometimes); but his experiences in the Corps and in the war were not what he dreamed. He mentions at various time the recruiting posters and campaigns - while it is true that Marine Corps never promises an easy life (quite the opposite), rarely does one learn prior to entry that one might end up being on the stirring end of the latrine clean-up detail; of human-refuse dump ablaze and blowing all over the place.
Just as in the book, the film gives one a sense of some of the problems that the 'average' grunt faces in combat situations. This war was very different from Vietnam, of course, but some of the issues are the same - interminable waiting, equipment malfunctions (if it isn't just plain missing), fear and bravado in a strange mix, questioning and ambiguity as to the value of the war, the cause, and even their own lives. The Desert Shield/Desert Storm situation is reflected in the page numbers of Swofford's book and the timing of this film - a lot deals with the Desert Shield portion, the hurry-up-and-wait aspect; surprisingly little time is spent with Desert Storm itself, as it was on and over so quickly, relatively speaking. There is a lot of psychological drama in this film in the waiting aspect; there's also a strong undertone of the absurdity of war.
Stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Anthony 'Swoff' Swofford, Jamie Foxx as Sgt. Siek and Peter Sarsgaard as Troy do an excellent job in their respective roles. Foxx turns in a really good performance, and this must be the year for Gyllenhaal. Director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) takes a tough book and turns it into a tough film, which is not going to replace a film such as 'Full Metal Jacket' or 'The D.I.' for quintessential Marine film, but will most likely in get top billing among many for the portrayals and situations, especially some of the more bizarre and incomprehensible bits.
Again, while there is undoubtedly exaggeration here, and one must take some of Swofford's tales with a grain of salt (or, perhaps sand), there is realism and truth in the feelings these situations engendered. I can understand the anger of Marines and other military who read the book and will see the film and feel a sense of betrayal, but I can also understand those who feel that Swofford is saying what others can't or won't say. This is a tough product. While I would never want the Marine Corps or military to be judged by this one thing, it is a perspective worth including in the overall mix. Snipers have a reputation for being a bit on the fringes anyway, and Swofford's story in that regard is very true to form.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Welcome to the Suck!", November 4, 2005
This motto of is uttered three time in the duration of Sam Mendes' brilliant war drama/comedy "Jarhead."
When it comes to the war, we sometimes forget one of its major victims and how the are scared from its wrath-the soldiers. In Mendes film, he studies the impact of war on an American squadron of marines and there experiences in the Gulf War.
Anthony "Swoff" Swofford (Jake Gyllenhhal) is a recent enlistee who is "hooked" to the marine way of life. He is soon in Staff Sgt. Sykes' (Jaime Foxx) squad, and is given the position of sniper. His spotter, Troy, played by Peter Sarsgaard, becomes his close buddy while training to make the final cut in Sykes' group.
The men are soon shipped out to the desert in preparation for the forthcoming Gulf War. There in an unfamiliar place, with enemies they can't see, for a reason unknown to them.
Mendes and his actors keep us absorbed in the lives of these characters and what they go through physically and mentally. Gyllenhhal proves he's truly capable of a strong leading performance. Foxx is terrific as the hard-ass Sykes. Sarsgaard is a powerful presence as always. Chris Cooper makes two nice appearances as Lt. Col. Kazinski. The supporting soldiers are all wonderful and effective.
The film is beautifully shot, making the audiences feel hot and sticky, like the soldiers, just by watching those coarse, dry shots of the miles and miles of sand in the horizon.
The film is funny in its first half, and hard hitting in its second. The comedy is to make the film go down easy with us, until we feel comfortable and connected with the characters and their lives. And that makes the second half heart tugging because we see the transformation and what war does to the lives of these young men. We are with them. We feel their pain. We see through their eyes the true tragedy of war on the human psyche.
That motto up top is one I would never use to describe this film. What I can say is this-Welcome to Oscar season at the movies!
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