Often cited as one of the greatest directors of all time, Stanley Kubrick had an illustrious career in which he gave the world some of the most intricately crafted works of art that it has ever seen including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Strangelove and A Clockwork Orange. Kubrick was a perfectionist who cut no corners when it came to shaping his films into a blend of visual, performative and narrative perfection. Coming off his horror masterpiece The Shining, Kubrick took a beat before tackling his next project, a blistering condemnation on the effects of war on the human psyche. Full Metal Jacket was one of the last films completed by the master, and the results on display showcases an auteur at the height of his powers. Over thirty years later, the film remains one of the most essential critiques of Vietnam that has ever been put to screen.
The first half of Full Metal Jacket functions as almost a bit of a magic trick. The film plops you right in the beginning of the journey of a new group of Marine recruits and lures you in with the foul-mouthed tirades of their commanding drill instructor, Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermy). The absolutely vile things that he shouts at the recruits are so wild that you cannot help but burst out laughing. Hartman is a complete hardass, but you know that is what it takes to get these young men combat ready. We get to know aspects about several of these individuals, but the primary focus is on Private J. T. “Joker” Davis (Matthew Modine), the class clown who is looking to go into war journalism, and Private Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio), a slow-minded recruit who receives the brunt of Hartman’s tirades. Ermy and D’Onofrio are both exceptional in very different ways, and their dynamic leaves you transfixed throughout the entire first half of the film. The way in which this film is a bit magical is the way it mesmerizes you into forgetting what these recruits are training to do. Kubrick makes this first half so much fun to watch as everyone evolves into capable killing machines, that you are rocked to the core when tragedy ultimately strikes.
The second half of the film picks up some time later in Vietnam where Joker, now a sergeant, has successfully become a war correspondent for Stars and Stripes with Private First Class “Rafterman” (Kevyn Major Howard), a combat photographer, under his wing. As many who have firmly entrenched in the war, Joker has become a bit disillusioned with the whole thing. He claims to have seen combat, but many of those closest to him doubt his experiences. When he and Rafterman get sent on an assignment to cover enemy attacks in South Vietnam, he reunites with an old basic training buddy, “Cowboy” (Arliss Howard). Cowboy is a member of the Lusthog Squad, along with a colorful assortment of characters, who take the journalists into battle with them. The ensuing days bring about devastating loss and irreparable psychological damage from intense battles against the Viet Cong. While the first half may have had something of a lighter tone, Kubrick smacks you back to reality to highlight that war is absolute hell and should be regarded as such at all times. You really get invested in these characters, but your concern for them will not save their humanity.
What makes Full Metal Jacket such an essential piece of filmmaking is the pitch perfect way it executes nearly everything from both the narrative and technical side. As opposed to the glamorized depictions of war that permeated a lot of Hollywood pictures, this film does not hesitate to show how the military shapes these everyday people into merchants of death. That is not to say these are bad people, that is not the case, but the inherent horror of the whole situation is something sobering that one need not forget. Kubrick frames every shot and controls every little nuance so precisely that you are left stunned by what he achieves. From the military base to the ruins of Huế in Vietnam, you are given a front row seat to the perilous path of war. In comparison to the satisfying first half, you may feel inclined to feel that the second half loses steam. It would be a mistake to think that, though, as the two halves complement each other to tell one amazing story. Kubrick wants to take away the joy that you felt during the first half because war is not supposed to be fun. The final siege that takes place with the squad in Vietnam is one of the most intense war sequences I have seen on film. This is not because of the “cool action sequences” but due to the psychological ramifications. Kubrick is a master of multiple different genres, and the sensibility he brought to a modern war film provided something uniquely brilliant.
Video Quality
Full Metal Jacket improves on its decent looking Blu-Ray with a stunning 4K UHD Blu-Ray upgrade. The fact that Kubrick shot on film is not compromised in this presentation as the transfer has a nice amount of natural film grain throughout. The thing about this film is, it has never been beautiful to look at, and this transfer does not really change things in a major way. The film is supposed to be grimy and mirror the horrors of war. The first half of the film takes place in some visually dour army barracks that do not lend the colors to be demo material. But this 4K presentation makes the film look the best it ever has.
The clarity and detail present is greatly improved, exposing details previously lost due to the limitations of the format. Everything looks more natural from the skin tones to the colors of the clothing and the landscapes. The shadow gradients look so much more natural than the old, overly bright Blu-Ray presentation. A great amount of depth is gained with this transfer, both in close-up and long shots. The HDR really shines when you get to the last stretch of the film with the brilliant looking fires present in the blown out buildings. This 4K UHD transfer brings richness to the movie that you did not know you were lacking until you see it for yourself. The disc is free of compression artifacts and other digital nuisances. This is a reference level presentation from Warner Bros. that stays true to the source material.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track along with a compressed version of the original mono mix that has historically been absent from previous releases. The remixed track provides a lot of great atmospheric effects in the second half of the film that engage the surround speakers including chatter from soldiers. The first half is relatively sparse on dynamic audio, but the barracks do have an echo that puts you more in the place of the recruits. Dialogue comes through clear in the front channel without being overwhelmed by any sound effects or score. The track has a good sense of directionality with sounds always coming from the appropriate channels. The movie makes good use of the action beats in the surround channels, as gunfire feels appropriately heavy in the mix. The mono track is a welcome addition for purists, but the lack of a lossless option makes the much-appreciated effort from Warner fall just short of perfection. The mono option is finally available, though, and that is something to cheer about. This audio presentation is a pretty great effort that matches the quality of the video.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, and critic/screenwriter Jay Cocks provide some fascinating background details for the film. The three actors give most of the information you would want to know about being on the set, while Cocks gives more of a historical take on the film while allows you to analyze the themes that Kubrick was tackling. The subjects unfortunately are not in the same room together, but each pull their weight when it comes to engaging anecdotes.
- Full Metal Jacket – Between Good and Evil: A 31-minute look at the film from the short story that inspired the film, an in-depth look at the casting of the film, transforming East London into Vietnam and more. There are so many interesting anecdotes including how R. Lee Ermy never relented during any of his takes which caused him to lose his voice often. This is an essential supplement for any fan of the film.
- Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer gives you just enough of a tease about the film to get you invested. There is not one shot from the first half of the film, which is wild to think about.
Final Thoughts
Full Metal Jacket is a film from a master of cinema doing what he does best. He takes the concept of a war film and tackles it with the analytical mind that gave us such classics as 2001: A Space Odyssey. The result is a staggering meditation on how war corrupts the soul brought to life through incredible performances and masterful filmmaking. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers up a huge upgrade on the video side, even for a film that is not traditionally flashy. Having watched the film this way, I could never see myself going back to the Blu-Ray again. This is a must for any fan of the film. Essential
Full Metal Jacket is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.