The way back files: Full Metal Jacket

In this edition of "The way back files" I discuss Full Metal Jacket. Part of the "Vietnam trilogy" i had developed in my mind of well reviewed movies about Vietnam consisting of platoon, apocalypse now, and Full Metal Jacket. They all carried a general description of depicting hellish conditions through characters who see things get worse as the movie progresses. So with the 25th anniversary of full metal jacket recently passed i decided to really test these old notions and gave it a go.

Full Metal Jacket is a movie very much in 2 parts. From the perspective of the "maggots" the movie begins in basic training where R. Lee Ermey uses his drill instructor background to create a character that twists your stomach in knots till part 1 comes to a shocking halt leaving part 2 with a lot to live up to. Utilizing a constant influx of characters and personalities the film tries to indepthly view all the different points the soldier is stripped of his old identity till he can kill.  

Part one in basic training is superbly done and terrifying. However i can not help but feel the movie as a whole was too eager to depict the despicable nature of war and the dehumanizing effect it has on soldiers to the point that i was left without anyone to feel sad for. 

Bottomline: worth the watch still a 3

a new hope...err blog

HA i am clever using a star wars reference in what will probably be a home for my more nerdy and nitpicky opinions. You see i have been watching a lot of movies and tv and while facebook is a fine medium to express those opinions they get a little lost amidst the funny pictures of cats. So i decided to create my very own blog to pass ultimate judgement on entertainment, flaunt the occasional fasntasy roster or whatever I want to show off more than usual.

I said it a while ago on facebook but my reviews are done in a similar vein as those seen on rotten tomatoes short to the point and with a version of a 5 star system that i will routinely split the difference on.

While numbers are all well an good most of us like a little linguistic information to go with them.

I developed my idea based around a home viewing market in all its incarnations.

the rating system is as follows and fairly explanatory:

5  WATCH IT NOW!!!! drop the baby, quit the cpr. This is so good you will be happier having watched it.

4   Buy it. Your hard drive is already full of enough... stuff as it is don't clog it up any more, just buy it. Your future probation worker and I will thank you.

 

3   rent it. basically a rental or saturday tv movie this is something that has a cool idea that you do not want to inconvenience yourself to try and see.

2   skip it. a show that is just so forgettable, repetitive, or maddening you will be better off not watching it.

1 BURN IT WITH FIRE!!! reserved for the most deplorable of content that dares to call itself entertainment. the only appropriate response is to burn any physical representation of these things with fire so that no other mortal soul has to experience your pain again.

Well there it is my first blog post i am gonna be posting some reviews here shortly. I would like to thank carolyn hutchinson for helping me work out with the name and because she did so here is the picture she demanded i instill this picture.