Rating: 
Summary: A tale of two sides
Review: The only reason I enjoyed this film was based on the horrifying bootcamp led by R. Lee Ermey, or basically the first half. I'm surprised that Lee Ermey has never been acknowledged for his acting ability, because he is a truly talent, and can portray other roles besides drill instructor. The second half of this film is very tedious and boring, but I had to give this film four stars just because of Lee Ermey's memorable performance.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Film Depicting PARRIS ISLAND, S.C./Just not TUFF-ENUFF
Review: Although my platoon on Parris Island was unfortunately the
exception rather than the rule (summer of 1982). I'm proud to
say that my Drill Instructors were "old school". Routinely using tactics that would get them court-martialed, possibly incarcerated, and no-doubt dishonorably discharged today.
That said, R.Lee Ermey puts forth an Oscar caliber portrayal
of a Senior Drill Instructor. While there aren't any scenes that
depict interaction between recruits and the "regular" Drill Instructors. Which do 99% of the work, molding the minds and bodies of weak civilian boys. Producing Neat, Clean, Respectful,
Mature, True-Blue, Killing Machines!!!
For Love of God, Country, and Corps. Let's bring back Senior
Drill Instructors (as portrayed by R.Lee Ermey). And unleash
junior Drill Instructors from HELL with the same "old -school"
type attitude. Not afraid to curse and physically pound out those
not up to the challenge of claiming the title: UNITED STATES MARINE Shameful Example: My platoon had a 35-40% dropout rate in 1982
-There is only a 20% overall dropout rate today!
Rating:
Summary: Not like Platoon!
Review: To call this a "war film" in the character of Platoon or the Deer Hunter is to miss the point. Like everything else that Kubrick did, this is a highly stylized vision. Joker (Matthew Modine) swaggers like Clockwork Orange's "Alex" (Malcolm Macdowell), a young know-it-all who's ended up "in the s---" through the obscure workings of history. Like Alex, he's got his own aesthetic angle on violence. . .and the world's got a thing or two to teach him. Kubrick isn't making a movie "about war". He's making a movie about men "watching a war"-- check the extraordinary sequence mid-way through where a film crew improvises a human chain to produce a smooth pan shot for newsreel footage. Some reviewers don't care for the Parris island/Vietnam segue. . .I think its brilliant. Parris Island is confined, claustrophobic, weirdly homerotic, and savage in its own remarkably nasty way. Vietnam is savage in a very different, but also remarkably nasty way -- note in particular how Kubrick switches from the all male world of training, to place women directly at the center of warfare in 'Nam. With a filmmaker this calculating, you can be sure that there's a reason the sniper's a girl. . . Finally, see this movie for the best City/"Into the Bush" transition since Peter O'Tooole went from Officer's Club to the Desert in Lawrence of Arabia. Kubrick's opening "slow zoom" in Saigon is simply genius; the kind of thing you look at again and again and say to yourself "why can't anyone else take shots that look like that"
Rating:
Summary: Into the collection plate, please...
Review: Regardless of personal preference as to which half of the movie they prefer, the excellence of the first half is enough to earn the majority of the accolades (although the second half is equally well done; it's merely not as interesting). Obviously Lee Ermey is the standout of the film with his portrayal of the sadistic drill instructor, but those early scenes verge on comedy, which only makes the film more effective as a piece of cinematic history. Not to take anything away from Apocalypse Now, or Deer Hunter, but each film is vastly different from each other, and cannot be rightfully compared in the same way. Like most people, I do prefer the first half of the film, but considering the technical achievement of the second half (reproducing the Vietnam war in London), I have to give even marks all around. Mark this as a 'guy film' par excellence due to its phenomenal screenplay, battle scenes, and testosterone imbalance. But it's still a keeper for all time, and good for as many repeat viewings as you like.
Rating:
Summary: A good film about what war does to a person...
Review: While most Vietnam era movies focus on the "loss of innocence" at a national level using characters as stereotypes. "Full Metal Jacket" looks at what war does to someone inwardly. From the ritual debasement of training to combat itself, Kubrick's focus is always intensely personal. This makes for an excellent film with only one major flaw: R. Lee Emery is killed 45 minutes into it. His intensity and passion cannot be sustained by the Marines or the combat sequences that follow. Consequently, the whole movie deflates after he exits. The combat scenes are graphic and intense, and aptly show how the war affects the soldiers in it. The second best scenes (behind Emery's) are the interviews with the Marines for "Vietnam: The Movie." They show the soldiers at their base level: confused, smart alecky, feigning toughness. All in all, this is a great movie, while it isn't Kubrick's best it is worth watching for R. Lee Emery alone. The rest of the movie is interesting too (but with the intesity levels knocked down a few notches).
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: I just had to respond to the reviews that portray this movie as a condemnation of the military and our methods. This movie just (for the lost part) shows what basic training and combat are like ( I've been through Paris Island, but not combat.) I believe that the United States Marine Corps' accomplishments speak more loudly than the words of the reviewer of this film. Marines have fought and died for this country for HUNDREDS of years, since 1775 to be exact. Who the hell does the reviewer of this film think they are, George Washington, Thomas Pain, God? Get a clue please.
Rating:
Summary: Different perspective on Vietnam...
Review: Most movies about Vietnam are sad stories that try to work as a metaphor for America's "loss of innocence." This is not one of these movies. While the progression from raw recruits to hardened soldiers is certainly well-documented here, Kubrick really doesn't lay any judgment on the conflict or the combatants. This is what makes this movie great. There are no sobbing, overtly emotional scenes that many other movies have, just a progressive feeling of desensitization in the characters; first to their hard-driving drill sergeant, then to actual combat. In the final scenes, when the true terror of Vietnam is revealed, the hardening the young men receives wins out. This is the point that is made, but it is subtle and develops slowly, much to Kubrick's credit. The other two movies that are the standard for Vietnam are Apocalypse now and Platoon. The surreality of Apocalypse now and the emotion of Platoon are present in FMJ, just not to the degree seen in these films. This movie stands as the middle ground between these two films, showing that Vietnam was a unique chapter in American conflict, but not pigeonholing it into a cliche. Parts of this movie are out and out funny, especially the scenes with the Drill instructor. Kubrick has a way of making you laugh at uncomfortable notions, as he did in Dr. Strangelove, and uses this sensibility to help the viewer understand that gallows humor is a part of what helps people get through stress in combat. R. Lee Ermey (As Gunnery Sgt. Hartman) gives one of the greatest performances in a military role of any movie ever. His brutal and profane, yet often hilarious, tirades make for a great first half of the movie, and really give life to the idea of "breaking down" recruits. Matthew Modine is also very good, as one of the more idealistic young men who is shaped by Sgt. Hartman into a Marine who is "born to kill". Vincent D'Onofrio as Private Pyle was chilling, as his descent into "A world of %&#$" portrayed the dark side of the breaking process. This movie can be split into two distinct halves, which are seemingly unrelated except for the common characters. The abrupt change isn't such a bad thing. The move from boot camp to combat was abrupt, and this change gets that point across. This is a fantastic film. From the gung-ho soldier to the get-me-home soldier, this movie covers the range of the Vietnam conflict, and the young men who were sent to fight in it, without over-politicizing things. Really a great movie to watch again and again.
Rating: 
Summary: An Okay war movie
Review: JUST FOR THE RECORD: The Marines only drafted 4.9% of their fighting force during the Vietnam conflict. Most draftees were in the Army (50.5%). Although, there was pressure to volunteer so you could choose your branch of service, MOS, etc. This film is not a realistic portrayal of the war in Vietnam, but it does illustrate Marine boot camp fairly well (from what ex-Marines have told me). R.Lee Ermey is excellent as the DI (he was a DI after all), and Private Pyle's character's experience was interesting (even with the unplausable ending). It is the war in Nam where the movie gets silly and stupid. First of all, not every enlisted Marine was obsessed with sex and prostitution. Second, the way these soldiers behaved in combat (especially the NCOs) does not jive with the way they were trained. Third, the simple historical inaccuracies are troublesome and I am not a Vietnam war expert by any means. Like many Kubrick movies, it gets wrapped up in the device and methods of filming versus story material. Yet, this is probably on of the easiest Kubrick films to watch. For that reason alone it is worth watching.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: The day I saw this movie was the day I saw my favorite movie of all time. The movie is broken in 2 parts: the 1st part dealing with boot camp and the 2nd part dealing with vietnam war. During the whole movie you see the main character Joker go through changes.
I think the movie comments on a person going through the process of becoming a killing machine. From the start you see them getting their head shaved, then go through boot camp: where get broken down and rebuilt in the image of the marines, then get shipped to the war where they must survive and use what they were taught, and then in end revert back all the way to their childhood when they were just innocent little kids.
Rating:
Summary: Full Metal Jacket
Review: This movie is a must to watch from an informational point of view. If you need to find information on tactics, uniforms, weapons,etc-this is the one. This the one,if you want to understand what this war was about. About real soldiers,who actually had to fight in Vietnam:18-19 years old kids,who were drafted and without any choice were thrown into a foreign country to play a strange game of survival : the one , who kills first, will win another chance to play this game again...and again.All we wanted was simple- just to go home ... alive. I was lucky to see my home, but many of my friends didn't.
It Shows you the stupidity of military officers , who never went there ... the ones , who are the heroes now . Showes you the shortest line between love and death ... Shows you the brutality and pain ... do I need to say more ?!
The REAL words from someone , who knows : Dead or alive , we are all coming home together ...!
The last words of a kid : I died for my country ... the same country , which protested and abandoned us ... the baby killers ...
I had my world ...From the highschool classroom to the warzone. I didn't know , I am sad ... untill I woke up , and dreamt ... dead ... I realised - I need help .
I wrote my book not for you ... I wrote it for myself...
When some journalist tryed to brake me down ... I told him - too late . You can't ... He didn't believed me ... he was wrong !?
I put it in another side of me , the side which I do not remember ... but I will never forget .?.?.?
I throwed the key to this side away , but it always returns ... Now it is melted in the pain of other soldiers who spilled their guts on the ground and gave everything they had , who didn't find the way to get rid of it ... And who is lucky ?! The ones , who found it ... or the ones , who couldn't lose it ?
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