Tagline: In Vietnam The Wind Doesn't Blow It Sucks (more)
Plot Outline: A group of soldiers develop dehumanized personalities in their training and it shows in their tour of duty in Vietnam. (more)(view trailer)
User Comments:
A good (but heavy handed) anti-war movie that has an enjoyable vein of black humour
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Date: 26 October 2002 Summary: A good (but heavy handed) anti-war movie that has an enjoyable vein of black humour
A bunch of young men join a marine training camp to prepare for war in
Vietnam. However before they can face the enemy they must make it past the
rigours of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. Once past the training they face a war
where many may not return alive. They learn that the dehumanising effects
of war run through every stage and are complete.
This is Kubrick's most accessible film and I suspect that contributes to
it's high rating on the imdb. There can be no other reason why it would
rank so high on it's own merits. This is not to say it's a bad film but it
is certainly not one of the best anti-war films ever made. The plot is a
game of two halves – first the training camp and second the actual conflict.
The point that both halves hammer home relentlessly is that war dehumanises
those involved.
The first half is enjoyable pure and simply because of Emery's Gunnery
Sergeant. His is a witty character despite the inherent cruelty in his
actions. However eventually his screen time is ended and the film continues
to make the same point over again but in a different setting. The problem
is that it hammers it's point home so heavily that it doesn't allow us to
work things out for ourselves. Even things like Platoon and the like allow
us to work it out ourselves! The film's strength is it's wonderful streak
of black comedy that runs right the way through – it is the reason for
watching and makes it feel a little different from other hardcore war movies
of this ilk.
Kubrick is always going to be watchable but this is not one of his best.
His cold direction is usually excellent but here it is alienating and
clinical when we should really be getting to like the soldiers involved.
The film is still good but I felt that the flaws are too much here. Emery
is undoubtedly the main reason for watching this film. He gives a great
performance that is a mix of improvisation and script that works well and
guaranteed him work in the same role for many years. Modine is suitably
wide eyed as our guide through his experiences but he is like most of the
other marines – just blank characters for Kubrick to work around. Only
D'Onofrio (Pyle) came out of this as a real person.
Overall this is a good anti-war film but not a great one. There is no
doubting the power of the message and Emery easily carries the film till the
war itself. It is still a very good film but I suspect that the fact that
this is Kubrick's easiest film to get into explains why it is rated so
highly.
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