BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
Stephanie
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Davis P
I sincerely hope marines don't act like this in real life. I already had no interest in joining the military and this movie doesn't wanna make me change my mind lol. It stars Jake Gylanhaal, Jamie Foxx, Lucas Black, and Peter Sarsgaard. These men are good actors and I'm surprised they chose to do this bland empty film. The script doesn't provide any kind of meat or interesting dialogue to enjoy. It's just obnoxious typical "male banter", and I hate that lol, can't the writers be a little more creative?? It's not the constant cursing I mind, that doesn't bother me in the least, it's the boring often times offensive comments made by these degenerate soldiers. They are crotch grabbing, sex obsessed, derogatory comment slinging annoying men. I don't mind sex talk between characters, but this movie was so anti-gay in its language and the men talked about women in a very objective way. And when they aren't behaving like complete idiots, they are trigger happy and talking about wanting to kill, it seems they actually want war and killing, which is disturbing. I respect military men and women and thank them for what they endure to serve our nation but I sincerely hope they don't behave like this. They're like baboons lol. 1/10 for Jarhead. Doesn't keep your attention at all, just a bland and empty film.
Tom
The best scenes are the opening 30 minutes or so at a Marine boot camp. They're very similar to many other such scenes over the years but most likely with a greater abundance of colorful words and expressions, most of which probably aren't permitted to be printed here. Once we leave training and head to what's supposed to eventually be war the film has a rapid descent downhill.Pulling an audience in with the promise of a Marine sniper in action and then never even having him fire his weapon really sucks. There's an old adage in writing that if a weapon is shown on a fireplace mantle in act one it better damn well be used by act three. Otherwise, why show the damn thing at all? The life of an average Marine may be boring as hell, but showing that boredom for an entire movie gets a big thumbs down from this reviewer.
Ross622
Sam Mendes' Jarhead is the true story of what former marine Anthony Swofford went through before, during, and after the Persian Gulf War. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford a marine who fired his gun years before the gulf war happened but never got to fire a gun during a time of war. This is truly what I consider to be a great piece of movie making and with both Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx giving the best performances of their entire careers in one of 2005's best films. Director Sam Mendes took the time to create a war movie classic, which goes on a par with Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, The Devil's Brigade, The Deer Hunter, and Patton. This move also shows what the marines have to go through constantly. As Gene Shalit of U.S.A Today "A Masterwork, Jarhead is more than a movie, It's an experience.". I truly agree with that because that is actually what Anthony Swofford went through during his time in the Marine Corps. For those people who are veterans in any military branch or are currently serving right now and if you get to watch this movie it will stay with you for a very long time.
bowmanblue
I can take or leave war films, however, I have to say this one is pretty good, especially as it contains a real lack of any actual fighting.It centres on one man's - Anthony Swofford's - personal tale of life in the modern (well, early nineties) American army. He's not an officer, or in any particular position of authority - he's a grunt, a foot-soldier, or a 'Jarhead.' After Saddam Hussein first invades Kuwait, the US ship out their Jarheads to wait for the order to attack. This is the story of the wait.Therefore, we never see our Jarheads charging heroically over the top or anything similar. It's just about the wait. Now, that may not sound like the most exciting premise for a movie, but I think that's the point. Jarhead isn't really meant to be exciting. It's more of a drama about men from lower class America, who don't really have many career options and enlist as a way of making a living.I really enjoyed it. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a great performance as the put-upon Jarhead at the centre of the film and, overall, it's well worth a watch, even if you're not a fan of war movies in general.http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/
