Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageFull Metal Jacket (1987)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
The first half of Kubrick's movie steers clear of South East Asia altogether, focusing on the dehumanising training programme undergone by a group of novice US Marines. Then, after a suitably melodramatic bloodbath, the action switches to 'Nam, where star recruit Pvt Joker (Modine) soon tires of his behind-the-lines job as military journalist and provokes his CO into sending him forth into the shit. Black but obvious irony abounds, madness and racist bigotry are rampant, and a muddled moral message arises from the mire of a sprawling second half when the cynical, nominally heroic Joker finally learns to kill. None of which is to suggest that the film is bad; despite a certain stereotyping and predictability there are moments of gripping interest. Finally, however, Kubrick's direction is as steely cold and manipulative as the régime it depicts, and we never really get to know, let alone care about, the hapless recruits on view.Author: GA
User reviews of this film
-
- Dan said...
- Posted on Jul 21 2008 18:51 I think it's a cop-out to have given the film such a low rating when the director's intentions were clearly to have in force some of the very things you claim detracts from it (racist bigotry, killing of innocents, dehumanization). That is the nature of war. There's no use in sugar-coating something that is rightfully, as you claim, "steely cold."
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Quick Ben said...
- Posted on May 24 2008 19:38 I've said it before, I'll say it again. This website obviously dose not watch the films it's reviewing. Every film of any significance has been given a bad review.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- H.Limmen said...
- Posted on Jan 29 2008 19:09 This reviewer has got it all wrong, because you get to know the main character, and care about him. And to say this, what a pathetic r"eview". Stop making reviews. Just... stop.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Kurt Munro said...
- Posted on Sep 10 2007 01:30 What a joke of a review, for a joke of a website.
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Producer: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Arliss Howard full cast
Genre(s): War
Duration: 116 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now