I read the other reviews here about Jarhead before writing mine so I could clarify my thoughts better. Jarhead is not a Full Metal Jacket wannabe movie. In actuality, it is an homage to all war films, and updating it to the Gulf War relates it to a modern audience. Sam Mendes is a great director and although the first part of Jarhead seems to be right out of Full Metal Jacket, I think what I learned is how little the military has changed in 25 years. Also that the infantry man has been rendered irrelevant by technology in large scale wars. (although as we know in Afghanistan, that there are limits to what we can do against a guerrilla force).

People complained that there was no plot, but I disagree. The frustration of life and war is represented here, and you feel uneasy just as the characters do in their situation. This movie is a slice of life which I thought was worth watching.

Gotta agree with unfungames on the fmj allusions, thought I did like the part in the desert when the horse walks up to him.

This movie added almost nothing to my understanding of war or the first Gulf War in particular. If you feel like watching a war movie, there are many better choices available.

i’m a fan of both war movies and jake but this wasn’t as good as i thought it would be, on both accounts.

I like war movies in general, so I tend to review them well even if I don’t think they’re the best ones out there. I did like this movie, and I enjoyed following Gyllenhaal’s character who occasionally does or says things that can’t help but make you emphathize with him. But then there are times when he suddenly goes dark with no real build up to it. I also kept forgetting all of the characters names because they were so rarely referenced.

It’s worth watching if you’re into war movies, but it’s certainly no Oscar winner.

lacks the melodrama of war pics set in earlier eras, but still a pretty good, tense, explodey-cursey-crassy military flick

… and the inclusion of such early 90s swells like Naughty by Nature & Public Enemy was a nice touch …

Just shoot me Jake and then you’ll be a happy soldier and I’ll be a happy victim :P