Full Metal Jacket (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [4K UHD]

I can watch this movie every day.It is one of the best vietnam military movies of its time

When this film was first released, I wasn’t interested in seeing it (though I did see Platoon). At that age in my life, 19-20, I wasn’t yet a SK fan like I am now. When I eventually saw it, I thought it was interesting, but it took me several viewings and a few courses at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh (RIP) to fully appreciate Kubrick’s messages and symbolism. This film probably has the most subtle and not so subtle messages and symbolism out of all of his movies. Every time I think of a certain scene , or watch the film again, and consider the details therein, I realize there’s another thing I missed. There is so much here to analyze. The Kubrick Site is the best resource or collection of resources and articles that I know of, that cover his movies. There is at least 1 article there about FMJ. But an entire book (300 pages, say) would be the bare minimum amount of space necessary to cover everything just in this movie. As far as its realism, I have spoken with at least 1 Vietnam veteran who said that this is the best movie about that war. The most realistic. There are several pop culture events or news items that are mentioned. Such as CBS News reporter Walter Cronkite stating that the war is not winnable. He really did say that, so I’m not spoiling anything for you. The one issue about this film, that SK definitely intended, is the racist jokes. And there are a lot. A LOT. Young people of today, who are more sensitive to such “humor”, are more likely to be offended. Although, in my case, even when I told them 40 years ago, I knew they were distasteful (I stopped telling them before I graduated from high school. No one is perfect). There are also a few lines of dialogue that reference other movies (Apocalypse Now, for one) which may or may not be intentional on SK’s part. The film is quite brutal, in several respects (violence, racist jokes, racism specifically concerning Asian people, sexist jokes and observations). This movie is definitely not for those with weak stomachs or who are easily offended. But none of SK’s films starting with Lolita are (other than 2001, and Dr. Strangelove, more or less). Highly recommended, if any of the 3 things I mentioned in the subject line are of interest to you.

FULL METAL JACKET is by far the BEST WAR MOVIE ever made in modern times. In my opinion, it also one of the TOP 20 MOVIES to ever hit the silver screen. Stanley Kubrick is a cinema genius. The casting for FMJ was absolutely superb. Full Metal Jacket is completely void of covert political statements and ego maniacal actors-looking to interject their own brand of heroism. (See Fury and Inglourious Basterds for that comical nonsense) Kubrick cast lesser known actors, who knew exactly how to portray REAL infantrymen. It's been said the rich use political privilege to escape war. Meanwhile, poor kids are forced to defend American freedoms. Kubrick takes us on an odyssey that begins w/basic training in the unrelenting heat of Paris Island, SC. He soon switches gear and shows us some of the same men thrust into the savage jungles of Cambodia, Vietnam. We witness teams of men coming together for the greater good of the corp. As for the ridiculous reviewer who claims the film dehumanizes the Vietnamese people? WTF? He is a millennial-snowflake.....ignorant of 2 of the most maniacal/mass murderers to ever have lived on this planet. Ho Chi Minh & Pol Pot committed atrocities in S. Vietnam that would make Hitler look mild. FMJ has a dynamic cast. The film portrays how WARS are really handled. Kubrick doesn't shy away from absurdities, insanity & patriotism. All three of which can be intertwined & difficult to differentiate. Vietnam was truly a quagmire. Much like Afghanistan is today. He demonstrates how young-naive men, who come from all backgrounds (mostly poor), races and creeds are transformed into killing machines. Some ultimately fighting for their own lives in combat. Kubrick gives you the feel of what it's like to be a Marine. The Marine corp has always been the 1st to go where the action is, not run away form it. Full Metal Jacket is not a film for this new PC-WOKE generation (I'm sure they'd be traumatized and head to the nearest safe space). Kubrick even manages to provide us a taste of flippant humor while the troops they are engaged in a fire fight w/a sniper. America will always have one common objective during military missions abroad. Kill the enemy and bring back home as many of out troops as humanly possible. The last scene is truly unforgettable.

Full Metal Jacket" is a compelling and visceral war film by Stanley Kubrick that splits its narrative into two distinct halves, each equally powerful in its portrayal of the Vietnam War. The first act, set in Parris Island, delves deep into the brutal dehumanization of Marine recruits during boot camp, where the iconic performances of R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and Matthew Modine as Private Joker set a chilling tone. This segment is both darkly humorous and profoundly disturbing, showcasing the psychological breakdown and the making of soldiers through extreme discipline and humiliation. The second half shifts to the battlefields of Vietnam, transitioning into a more chaotic and surreal depiction of urban warfare in Hue City, where the film explores themes of dehumanization from both the American and Vietnamese perspectives. Kubrick's direction, with its meticulous attention to detail, combined with the film's sharp script and haunting performances, especially by Vincent D'Onofrio, creates an unflinching look at the impact of war on the human psyche. "Full Metal Jacket" is not just about the physical battles but the internal ones, making it a timeless piece on the cost of war, identity, and morality.

This Blu-ray version of Full Metal Jacket improves over the previous DVD version in every way. The only DVD version I could find was a standard Pan-n-Scan version. The Blu-ray restores the movie to its original widescreen format. The scenes in training camp don't look much different, but the scenes in Vietnam (shot mostly in London) look much better--just as desolate and sorrowful as any sci-fi post-apocalyptic wasteland thanks to Production Designer Anton Furst's awesome sets. The Blu-ray also includes a short documentary that features actors and producers reflecting on their experiences working with Stan Kubrick many years later. As for claims that the two-part structure is fragmented and incoherent, I'd have to disagree. I think the first half of the movie shows that dehumanization is a necessary part of becoming a soldier. Pyle as played by Vincent D'Onofrio is not in any way some cheap symbol of innocence, but I do think his breakdown and self-destruction shows that all of the Marines are undergoing a similar transformation in their inner selves. Pyle's literal suicide matches the necessary and irrevocable self-destruction of their own compassion and sympathy. The second half of the movie clarifies the first half. If anything, the second half--despite its astonishing production design--is less satisfactory because it is more routine. Kubrick shows that war is absurd. To survive it, you can't think or agonize about it. All of the cruelty and savageness from basic training at Parris Island all of a sudden doesn't seem so cruel and savage. As it turns out, DI Lee Ermey was just being cruel to be kind. Kubrick shows various media groups presenting different views of the war. Kubrick also shows American GI's executing a12-year-old Vietnamese sniper while featuring Mickey Mouse dolls and GI's whistling the Mickey Mouse Show theme in the background. He also shows American snipers in helicopters shooting Vietnamese women, children, and water buffaloes. And so on... The whole absurdity of war thing is something we've seen elsewhere and everywhere. What makes the movie different is its chilly detachment. Instead of slow-motion helicopters and Barber's Adagio, we get staggering but a trifle bit fussy production design by Furst and spooky, ambient music by Abigail Mead. For me, I'll take Full Metal Jacket over Platoon any day. All that Good Sergeant-Bad Sergeant conflict didn't seem realistic or moving to me. But Stone was actually "over there" while Kubrick and many other film-makers weren't. The best war movies still remain The Big Red One (Reconstructed) and Hamburger Hill. Kubrick's own Paths Of Glory remains high on the list as well.

Before Full Metal Jacket was released on HD DVD, I refused to watch it because for some reason Stanley Kubrick's intentions were to distribute it in Full Screen rather than the way it was filmed in Widescreen on DVD. Now that the HD DVD version is released and in Widescreen I finally got a chance to see the film, and I'll tell you my thoughts. This is one of the most realistic war movies I've ever seen. It's about 2 hours long in length but it feels like an hour. It shows how kids were broken down and built back up into killing machines. Some of the things they say can be disturbing when describing their rifle. The movie will often shock you, make you laugh, and depress you. Lee Ermey will blow you away with his role as Gunny Hartman the drill sargent. Visually, this is a so-so picture. While most of the film has a decent clarity, there is also an undeniable amount of grain during parts of the film. This isn't because it's an HD DVD, it's also the same case with the Blu-Ray version. HD DVD's have an incredible reputation with visual clarity, Blu-Ray on the other hand... well, I suppose this title fits in perfectly with other Blu-Ray movies when it comes to visual clarity. Warner Brothers could have done more than they did, perhaps in the distant future it'll be revisited. However, since the film is so good and absorbing and finally seeing it in Widescreen with some high definition at all makes it an incredible experience. Overall, if you're just getting an HD DVD player all I can say is that there's many other titles that have a groundbreaking showcase of high definition BUT if you want a movie that's truly a classic and will blow you away with the lack of real visual clarity at times, this movie is it.

What a great classic movie from Stanley Kubrick about guys going through boot camp to Vietnam. Great actors you will recognize who do a fantastic job! Reminds me of my days of going through boot camp….

Classic movie that can be watched time and time again! Gotta love this film!