This was not the war movie I thought I was going to get. I'm not sure how I thought 'Full Metal Jacket' would manifest, but a war movie by Stanley Kubrick was bound to be captivating. And it absolutely was. From the first scene I was hooked. I was absolutely glued to the screen as without any fanfare, narration or introduction of any sort we see some trainees getting their heads shaved. In a sense, I felt like I was there with them. Disoriented and without really knowing what I was in for, watching lamely as the hair drops lifelessly and unceremoniously to the floor. The last vestiges of personality and individuality stripped off. The next thing I know there is a Drill Sargent screaming obscenities and reducing the new recruits to cowering shells of their former selves. Their feelings do not matter, since they aren't human. Not anymore. They aren't soldiers either. Not yet. They are maggots.
This is how we are introduced to the film. As I said, I wasn't expecting this kind of war movie. This is probably exactly the reaction Kubrick was going for. My expectations are just like the soldiers who enter boot camp wanting to be killers and who have a preconceived notion of war. What actually happens is much different then any fantasy dreamed up. This isn't about plot. Not in the least. It could have been about Vietnam, the Korean War, World War II, Afghanistan. It doesn't matter the war, it's the same brutal and dehumanizing outcome. This is about the soldier. It's about their struggle to keep some humanity, and to keep their sanity. It's an insight into the mindset of a soldier. We see how they are leveled down to nothing, to below nothing even, in boot camp. They are reprogrammed to obey orders and distance themselves from any personal feelings or thoughts. They're life is over, they now live for the Marines.
I've read a lot about people loving the first half of this movie and not liking the second half at all. I don't understand this criticism of the movie. The second half brings them into actual combat in Vietnam. They have passed the test. They are now Marines with their guns packed full of those deadly full metal jackets. They have been through hell already to get there, trained to be hard killers. This training is at odds with the news reports and media coverage of the war. There is doubt cast upon what they are doing. Some soften and want peace while others put on a mask of brutality, grinning eagerly at the chance to kill anything. But when it comes down to it, whether they are peace loving or kill seekers, when their lives are on the line they are all brothers, doing what they must to survive.
I think where the film falters is in the details. There are some key moments that fall apart because they are overdone or overplayed. There are times where Kubrick is heavy handed with his themes. At first I was delighted when I saw the Joker with "Born To Kill" painted on his helmet and a peace button on his jacket. Clever, I thought. A nice, very subtle clue into what Kubrick is really after, the duality of a soldier. Unfortunately he then devotes several minutes pointing this out and spelling everything out for you in great detail. It's completely unnecessary and it undermines the entire point. This happens several times throughout the film, where I think less would have been much more effective. There are some truly powerful scenes, but an equal amount which are besmirched by being overly on the nose. Despite this, its still an absolutely engrossing movie. I hesitate to even call it a war movie. It's a solder movie.
Who is Jesus? Let's suspend any personal beliefs and pretend that Jesus was actually the son of God as it is written in the Bible. He is a fascinating character. A powerful symbol to millions, a god who was a man, a leader of a revolution. What I find most intriguing is that this man, this icon, lived in a world not so far past. His story is rooted in a undeniably real world of Roman emperors and Jewish oppression. Among the many who claimed to be the messiah, this man rose above and changed the world forever. This
man. When we see depictions of Jesus in books, paintings, and film he is fairly one dimensional and not a lot of detail is given on his actual life. Sure, he was a spiritual leader, and phenomenal speaker, but where is his humanity? What was he like in his worst times? What was his favorite food? What were his faults? I'm interested in the mortal man, not the deity.
It's this kind of interest in Jesus that intrigued me about Martin Scorsese's take on the man. From the initial title card we are informed that this is a work of fiction and that it does not follow the gospel. Scorsese definitely goes all in with his take on Jesus' life and makes some very bold departures from the Bible. I respect his attempt to show a Jesus who does have faults. Who makes mistakes, and who struggles. It doesn't matter where he takes the story, and how far from the gospel he goes. The Bible is all about symbolism, so why can't a fictional account of his life also be? Sure, maybe they are far from the 'truth', but it gets the point across. Every man struggles, and fears, and Jesus was no different. To me, that version of Jesus is even more inspiring.
So up until this point in my review, you probably think I loved the movie. The truth is as much as I wanted this to be a great movie, it was not for me. I had a lot of problems with it. I think it had all the components to be a hugely impacting movie, but it fell well short. On a cinematic level, the movie was all over the place. Scorsese was on a tight shooting schedule, and it shows. There some really brilliant scenes, but most seemed sloppy and just felt a bit off. I wanted a movie that tackles this kind of subject to feel epic, and it doesn't, it felt slight. A big part of the reason could have been the acting. While I think Willem Dafoe was excellent as Jesus, the rest of the cast was actually quite bad. I couldn't tell if Harvey Keitel knew he was in a biblical story or a Mobster flick. The actors felt like they were in completely different movies from one another and it caused a disharmony which I had a hard time getting past.
More troubling was how the character of Jesus was handled. I wanted to know a flawed Jesus, not a buffoon. Instead of coming across as conflicted he came off as whiny, self-important and needy. Even when he was gathering his followers and inspiring people he came across as weak, needing his followers to never leave his side. Nothing about him was inspiring. Scorsese seemed to go too far in one direction, and created a character who was too fragile and too flawed. By going too far in one direction it unbalances Jesus and I think the entire point is lost. I can respect a man who has sins and who makes mistakes, but I could not respect this version of Jesus.
Verdict: This was one juggernaut of a matchup. Two of the best directors of the last half century going head to head. Going in, I was very apprehensive having to send one of these films packing, but after watching the movies there is a clear winner.
Full Metal Jacket moves on.