Movies

Gritty story based on the true life experiences of Marine recruit Anthony Swofford, a naïve teenager who gets more than he bargained for beginning in basic training, then a long and hellish nightmare of combat after he's shipped off to Kuwait during Operation Desert Shield. Well-crafted, strongly acted, and extremely political the film certainly holds your interest, but the script is unfocused, the subject matter never truly compelling, and the momentum slows more and more as it goes along. Gyllenhaal is respectable as the reluctant Marine who finds himself in over his head, while Foxx is a powerhouse as his gung-ho sergeant. Starts off strongly, but gradually becomes conventional and loses its way. **½

So I watched this movie and thought it stunk due to a few things when there out side drinking illegal hooch inside the tent and then one of the other marines whose asked to go on watch and he asked a marine which side do I use part of the equipment and the other marine says up well come on they would of been shown how to this in training surely and then when there out on a operation to shoot a high value target and when not able one of them has a massive hissy fit well you would think that they would just accept that and move on? the ending of the film is just well meh

Despite a derivative opening sequence, Jarhead is an incredible war movie that skillfully explores the pointless nature of the first Gulf War. Jake Gyllenhaal gives an incredible lead performance with great supporting performances from Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard and Lucas Black. Sam Mendes' direction and Roger Deakins' cinematography combine to make a visually inventive film with plenty of stunning moments. It's also expertly paced as it manages to be extremely engaging throughout with very few action sequences. Both the soundtrack and the music by Thomas Newman are amazing.