Jarhead

[Bourne101]

http://www.sorenz.dk/Jarhead%20poster.JPG

Directed by Sam Mendes

Genre: Action/War Drama

Tagline: Welcome to the Suck

http://images.zap2it.com/20050819/jarhead_240_001.jpg

Plot Summary: Based on the autobiography by Anthony Swofford about a Marine (Jarhead) with a family consisted of male marines (jarheads) who was in the mix of operation Desert Storm. After bootcamp he was scared of being a sniper and wanted out, but eventually relized what he had to do. He got through it but not without getting sworn at 24/7, getting wounded and almost killed and having some very emotional moments in the process.

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Cooper and Laz Alonso.

Rated R for pervasive language, some violent images and strong sexual content.

Running Time: 115 minutes

This is one of my most anticipated movies of the year. I can't wait another second.

[TylerDurden182]

I can't wait either. Definantly my most anticipated. The Cinematography from the trailer looks amazing.

[ChemicalRomance]

Camera work looks absolutely incredible.

Sam Mendes is 2/2 yet to dissapoint. Between this and Saw II, my 2 most anticipated of 2005, coming out back to back fridays I am a very happy and very busy movie-goer!

[moviegroupie]

I love my job. ew rah.

emphasis to ew, nah it looks ok. good cast, but i'm sick of war movies.

[darkface]

This movie looks great, fantastic and is my most anticipated movie so far so I'm very much looking forward to it!

[Fisting Ackbar]

Originally posted by ChemicalRomance
Sam Mendes is 2/2 yet to dissapoint.

Exactly. Looks pretty great and the four lead actors seem like solid choices (surprised though that Chris Cooper is working with Mendes again since he wasn't amused that half of his scenes were cut out of AMERICAN BEAUTY). Can't wait to see it.

[ilovemovies]

If this movie is even half as good as it looks, then it would officially make Sam Mendes as one of my favorite filmmakers currently working today!

[LegionX]

This movie looks to be outstanding and rumor from our corporate office at the theater tells us that Jaime Foxx did such a great job with his role he could be up for another oscar as a supporting actor... Cant wait to see it for myself!

[chasingbanky]

Next week.... F'in a man... Gyllenhal's shot at being a star, Mendes' shot at having a memorable name, and Chris Cooper doing his Chris Cooper thing.... I'm down.

[Ender]

This movie needs to come out right now. Actually, right now I'm broke, but you know what I mean.

[chinton]

Already seen it a very good movie

[ilovemovies]

On a 1-10 scale, what would you rate it?

[Cronos]

looks really interesting, havent got a clue when its getting released over here though

[chinton]

7/10. Maybe a 7.5/10 but probably 7/10. While I thought it was very good I hestitate to call it great

[Criminal Rock]

I'm expecting a 7 to a solid 8 out of 10 when I see it this friday... I just hope there isn't too much modern political undertone, it’ll ruin the movie.

[Katsumoto]

Originally posted by chinton
7/10. Maybe a 7.5/10 but probably 7/10. While I thought it was very good I hestitate to call it great
From the few reviews i've read that seems like the rating its getting. Nothing spectacular, but still a very good movie.

[chinton]

Dont worry Tai Mai this movie is being critisized for not being polotical enough.

[st3v3n]

this looks like a very good film. im constantly hearing things about how much people like the trailer. lets just hope that transfers into the movie.

also, hurray for peter saarsgard!

[daddiefatsacks]

Welcome to the suck

what a dream cast

[Pulp_Joker]

Just saw this in a preview screening, and I must admit, it exceeded my expectations. Granted, they weren't super high, but I thought the film was extremely well-done. Mendes does a great job, but don't go in expecting American Beauty in quality. It seemed to go on for about 5-10 min. too long, the final scenes could be cut out, but overall I was pleased. Jamie Foxx and Sarsgaard are fantastic and Gyllenhall was better than I thought he could be. With it being a war movie, though, the dialogue wasn't much to shake a tree at, but it did the job. I would hesitate to call it an Oscar contender yet, but it wouldn't surprise me. It is a war movie afterall. 8.5/10

[War Movie Mania]

I am going opening day to see this movie, everytime I see the trailer I get excited. Can't wait till next friday.

[darkface]

I know a ton of people from my base that are going to see it this weekend. I'd expect a good opening weekend.

[therealjohng]

I know this has nothing to do with Jarhead so I apologize in advance. But my friend is a manager at a movie theater and he was building the movie when I got there. He asked me to pick the trailers to put on it. On the list was Munich. Naturally I told him to put it on there. So some of you might be seeing the Munich trailer on there....


Yeah, so this post isn't a complete waste, I can't wait to see Jarhead tomorrow.

[chinton]

the best part is the fianl shot, a transition wipe with the haunting words. "Were still in the desert."

[Pulp_Joker]

Originally posted by chinton
the best part is the fianl shot, a transition wipe with the haunting words. "Were still in the desert."

I agree the final shot was well-done and effective, yet I felt the movie didn't need to go on to "tie the loose ends" and the couple mins. before it, after the bus scene, could have been cut out.

[chinton]

I agree although I saw the movie multiple times, once before the ending was redited. You should have seen what it was like before. Yikes

[darkface]

Originally posted by therealjohng
I know this has nothing to do with Jarhead so I apologize in advance. But my friend is a manager at a movie theater and he was building the movie when I got there. He asked me to pick the trailers to put on it. On the list was Munich. Naturally I told him to put it on there. So some of you might be seeing the Munich trailer on there....


Yeah, so this post isn't a complete waste, I can't wait to see Jarhead tomorrow.

so you're saying that Munich trailer might be attached to this? I hope so! That'd be schweet.

[Shockwave]

Damn good movie but not the "movie of the year" i was hoping for. solid 7.5-8/10

Great imagery all around however i must say. Some striking visuals in this one.

[therealjohng]

9/10. Loved it.

[Lazy Boy]

6/10

Striking visuals (starting from the charred graveyard to the burning oil fields at night) but I felt generally apathetic about any of the characters. Maybe it's because Swoffard is such a cypher, to me; he goes from bored dropout to bored soldier to psychotic, cheated-on existentialist. Gyllenhaal, to his credit, admirably swoops from attitude to attitude. It's a good performance in search of something...I don't know, just something. It feels like a war film that doesn't offer anything new or interesting, and it probably knows this through its references to Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter.

Was anyone really impressed by Jamie Foxx? I don't know, I thought Ray would be a one time great thing for him, but he was really solid, even though the role has been done before (getting flashes of R. Lee Ermey).

[beastieben21]

I agree with everything Chemical said, except I'd give it more a 5/10. A.O. Scott is the critic I agree with most (next to Kenneth Turan, perchance) and his quote pretty much sums it up. Well said.

[ChemicalRomance]

7/10

I'm pretty dissapointed in Jarhead as a whole. The one thing that stands out to me, and what the movie really has going for it is Gyllenhall's performance and the beautiful camera work, thanks to Sam Mendes. What really comes to mind for me is the scene when the oil begins to rain and the silhouette shots of the soldiers against the towering flames. Rich in color and an absolute wonder to look at. This movie is defintily pleasing for the eyes, that is for sure. All throughout it is well acted, but the real problem of Jarhead is the lack of connection I felt to it's characters. Running at only 1 hour 55 minutes, a movie that is trying to make a statement will find it hard to make a very good one with a relatively short run time for such a serious subject. The ending feels rushed and while I understood what it was trying to say, I wasn't totally pulled in to this world of Gyllenhall's character.



***SPOILERS***

What happens to his best friend from the war? He just...dies? Maybe Mendes felt it was best to convey his death without the use of words, maybe why he died didn't matter. But this, and the rest of the ending montage left me lacking a sense of completion. I loved the final shot from one side of his head showing his average life and the other side showing soldiers in the desert.

***END SPOILERS***


Besides a few complaints, Jarhead is a good movie. But it's not exactly the Best Picture material it has been hyped up for a lot of 2005 to be. It's unfortunate and I think a quote by A.O. Scott of the New York Times sums it up best:

"Jarhead is a movie that walks up to some of the most urgent and painful issues of our present circumstance, clears its throat loudly and says nothing."

[JoJo23]

9/10- Jarhead was a very good movie, with some pretty good laughs and some intense dramatic moments. Mendes did a excellent job with this movie. I can see it getting a oscar nomination for screenplay, cinematography, maybe Gyllenhall for best actor, Saarsgard for supporting actor, and defintly besat director.

Oh yeah and the Munich trailer that was attached to the film was un fricken believable.

[chinton]

Ive seen this film five times, the first time before it was reedited. Heres your answer for anyone who wants to know.



Spoilers!!!


Its interesting that you guys ask what happnes to the best friend in the war as the ending was redited to replace with the song you hear at the end over a monologue that was previously there. The monlogue was edited out and basically consists of five minutes of Gyllenhal's "I am that Jarhead speech" where basically you find out what happens to everyone.


For anyone who wants to know his car slipped on some black ice and he died on a car crash. Thats how Skrasgard character died.

[MadsenOMC]

I liked it, but didn't love it. Other than Swofford, I felt that the characters were too thin. I didn't care much about any of them. That was frustrating. Other than that, a pretty good flick. The direction is excellent, and the cinematography by the always superb Roger Deakins is beautiful. A visually stunning movie. Gyllenhaal is solid, and Sarsgaard and Lucas Black are outstanding. It held my interest from start to finish.

7/10

[Rated R]

5/10

Empty, no stance taken on anything...but it was so beautifully filmed. Huge disappointment with a lot of filler but nothing much to go along with it. Along with Crash this is the biggest letdown of the year.

[Rated R]

Originally posted by chinton
the best part is the fianl shot, a transition wipe with the haunting words. "Were still in the desert."

It was a nice shot, but I still think the words were unneccessary. A picture is worth a thousand of them, and I think the visual alone would have been haunting, the words added nothing.

[Jedi]

I loved both American Beauty and Road to Perdition and was looking forward to his next film. But I don't know if I want to see this.

It won't be released around here before next spring maybe (on limited scale) so can anyone tell me how did they make the Iraqis look like (if there were any in the film)? I mean did they feature them dirty, yellow-toothed, smiling idiotically and their women in dirty-black robes looking stupid and making strange noises and their kids running with guns in the streets shooting people?? (coz this is what Hollywood most brilliantly do in their propaganda in neumerous films before about Arabs and Asians and all..)

coz it'd be so disappointing if they do it that way, especially given the name of Sam Mendes and all..

Thanks for any reply.

[chinton]

I disagree the words even reinforced the image, one of the few powerful parts of the film.



LOL, If you thought the final words were too much though then you would have hated how the movie originally ended.

[darkface]

8/10

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/universal_pictures/jarhead/football.jpg

Jarhead was a great movie IMO. The actors were great. Especially Jamie Foxx. I really think he deserves another oscar for supporting role. He was very believable as an instructor. Jake did an awesome job playing that troubled kid, turned into soldier, turned into semi-insane killer.
From a military perspective, it was dead on. Everything was very accurate. I got chills hearing Gas, Gas, Gas remembering how scary that training was for me.
No it didn't stand for anything in particular. It told just enough about politics to get by and understand what's going on which is a good thing. This was more about what the soldiers are like and what happens if when you go into the 'suck'. IMO Jake should be nominated for Best actor, maybe not a win, but definitely a nomination, and Jamie Foxx should go for Best supporting actor.
As for Sam Mendes, the directing was exactly something to remember, but it did have some great cinematography and direction.

I'd suggest this movie to people not looking for a shoot-em up gung-ho movie, but something more personal. It does have a lot of laughs!

[Fergus]

I saw it Thursday night and I was very disappointed. I'm not dumb enough (like one of my co-workers) to say that the movie was awful because it didn't have any action. But I will say that I wish the movie had more to say than it did. Yeah, I get it, the Gulf War SUCKED, and everyone is still waiting for some action, but the movie didn't say much more than that. I wanted some insights, or some opinions, at least a bit of food for thought. I dunno, maybe I was expecting too much out of it, but from the director and ensemble cast, you'd think they'd pick something really juicy but this movie feels empty. I thought the acting was great across the board, no faults there. Aside from its few memorable, powerful scenes, I sat watching two hours of "meh". (6/10) I would like to rewatch it.

[Bourne101]

.

[KcMsterpce]

Originally posted by NightStalkerGtx
for the masturbation scene do u see a penis can u elabarate on the nudity cuz i just wanna be warned if theres going to be a penis popin in so i can close my damn eyes lol


There's a shower scene, and if you look real close you can see a naked guy's weewee by a big bonfire. I looked closely, that's fur sure!! :o :D

[NightStalkerGtx]

for the masturbation scene do u see a penis can u elabarate on the nudity cuz i just wanna be warned if theres going to be a penis popin in so i can close my damn eyes lol

[TylerDurden182]

Just got back from the film and I loved it.

Jarhead- 10/10

[Mr. Durp]

Originally posted by NightStalkerGtx
for the masturbation scene do u see a penis can u elabarate on the nudity cuz i just wanna be warned if theres going to be a penis popin in so i can close my damn eyes lol

you don't see any cocks. there's a brief shower scene, but the lights are conveniently dimmed when showing the men's bodies. i can't believe i'm actually answering this question, seeing that in a movie depicting an event as dramatic as the gulf war the only thing you can think of is trying to avoid a dick coming into view.

now, onto my thoughts on the film.

definitely a different path for mr. mendes, in both subject matter and style. i felt the direction he took was an interesting one - he obviously didn't plan out his shots all that well, probably taking a more "in the moment" approach - definitely approve of his shots planned in advance much more (a la american beauty & road to perdition). overall, a great job though.

i felt the acting was top notch, with the exception of a couple soldiers - mainly fowler, i think his name was, the guy from 8 mile. anyway, everyone else was great. gyllenhal has grown on me tremendously, he did a phenomenal job worthy of an academy award nod. same with sarsgaard, who has been doing incredible work as of late. chris cooper and dennis haysbert are awesome in the limited time they're on screen, and jaime foxx (who had a bigger part then i originally thought) did a solid job too.

a lot of people have a problem with this story. i, for one, feel it was a change from the typical war movie, seeing as how this wasn't a typical war. a war that was mainly dealt with by the air force from the point of view of marines. it was something new, a different take on a war film, and i think it succeeded. it shows how these men are changed and turned into fighting machines, trained to kill, and what happens to them when those skills aren't put to use, and suddenly it's all over. put back into the real world without fulfilling those wants you were trained to achieve. whereas many people see this story as being shallow, i feel it has great depth.

now, for my complaints. there were no "wow"-type moments. nothing shocking. many memorable moments though. raining oil, digging and the horse. swoff standing there in a daze with grenades going off around him. troy's emotion in the tower when the shot is taken away. but they didn't blow me away. nothing like the training portion of "full metal jacket". the first 20 minutes of "saving private ryan". russian roulette in "deer hunter". many parts of "apocalypse now". this movie is in no way a war classic (not that "saving private ryan" is either, just the first 20 minutes). it's just a great watch.

and the other thing that bugged me - the score. the soundtrack was great, but i felt the score was way off. is anybody else with me on this?

all in all, i recommend seeing "jarhead". and go into it knowing what it's about. this will help you stray from dissapointment and leave you looking deeper into the story.

7/10

[brodeurnumber1]

Originally posted by NightStalkerGtx
for the masturbation scene do u see a penis can u elabarate on the nudity cuz i just wanna be warned if theres going to be a penis popin in so i can close my damn eyes lol

Someone's a bit homophobic.

I thought it was a solid moivie. Gyllenhaal and Sarsgaard were both very good, and the movie flowed nicely, although it could have/should have been a lot longer. A 7/10 seems about right.

[Moviefan02000]

In the shower scene, you see two penises, including Jake's.

Anyways, just got back from the movie a little while ago and I was really disappointed. It was my most anticipated film of the year and it just wasn't that good. The performances were great (give Peter and Jake those Oscars). Jake was amazing to look at, obviously. The last 45 minutes didn't flow too great but other than that, it was a good film.

7/10 (B)

[DRbeauty]

Originally posted by Moviefan02000
In the shower scene, you see two penises, including Jake's.

7/10 (B)

Is it nice???

[chinton]

Lol there used to be a lot more visible penises in t eh shower scene

[DRbeauty]

Originally posted by chinton
Lol there used to be a lot more visible penises in t eh shower scene

Damn they always edit the good shit. More penises less character development.

[NightStalkerGtx]

sry but im not homophobic i just um lest say a penis on a film does not float my boat im seeing the movie today and im sure i will love it, im not going to take piuonts of for a penis i just rather be warned and look away for 1 second

[Moviefan02000]

Originally posted by DRbeauty
Is it nice???

Duh, it's Jake, come on! :p

[LegionX]

LOL I cant belive what Im hearing....anyhow I am going to see this movie tonight and will be back to post my review.

[daddiefatsacks]

i loved it, i loved all the characters...Gyllenhaal definately stood out, as did Sarsgard, Foxx and certainly Lucas Black. There were many memorable scenes, and beautiful shots (the horse was one that stuck in my head)

best film of 2005?

8.5/10

[Lemmywinks]

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





I saw this movie yesterday, and while I liked it, I didnt love it like American Beauty or Road to Perdition. Those 2 movies were perfect IMO. Jarhead just seemed all over the place. I felt like the soldiers were just waiting for something to happen, and I felt like that watching this movie. I liked some of the characters. Mostly Jake's and Peter's, although they were both dicks. Even though I like those 2 actors, I honestly didnt care about them at all. I honestly didnt feel connected to any of the characters at all. If any of them died, I honestly wouldnt have cared. I didnt care when Peter's character died.

Another probkem I had with the movie was that I didnt really understand what was going on in the whole movie. I mean, I understood what was happening, but I didnt understand the reasoning behind it. Maybe its because I'm not familiar with the gulf war, but I dont know. When Jake's character pisses himself, is it because he is afraid, or just so excited that something is actually happening that he just...pisses. A lot of the characters actions werent fully explained.Jake went so suddenly from being an ok guy to putting a gun to one of his fellow marines, and it happened so fast, without much motivation. Even if there was motivation, we didnt really get to see it. Sure his gf is cheating on him, and he is bored, but we dont really see that slow transition from nice kid to crazy marine. I mean, honestly, from seeing other people go crazy in war movies, there was no real motivation that Mendes showed us for Swafford to go nuts. I just didnt feel it.

[Moviefan02000]

Lemmywinks, put fucking spoilers in that post!

[ChemicalRomance]

Intense battle scenes, loud explosions, combat and external conflict are usually what people look for or expect to see when they go to view a war film. Jarhead, a true story about the tenures of Marine Anthony Swofford's (Jake Gyllenhaal) journey fighting in Kuwait in 1989 has very little or none of these things. As opposed to our usual external conflicts in war films we get the slow buildup of the internal conflict of a Marine torn by lack of understanding for his place and his ever growing homesickness. The main thing that can be said about Jarhead is that it should be noted as a war movie that definitely tries to take a very different path. A dark comedy, with satirical tones are the main parts of the melting pot that makes up Jarhead. Director Sam Mendes who has already directed two highly praised films (American Beauty, Road To Perdition) had a lot to live up to especially considering Jarhead’s Oscar hype that has been building up for most of 2005. Mendes once again shows directional prowess behind the camera, working it to it’s maximum potential and presenting us with a film that is beyond pleasing to look at. From the blank deserts of Iraq in the day, to the oil fields illuminated by fire at night, Mendes is a virtuoso behind the camera. Besides Mendes directing the acting is also worth mentioning. Gyllenhaal shines in his leading role (this is a far cry from Bubble Boy) and Jamie Foxx proves that Ray wasn’t his only great performance. I wouldn’t be surprised if they both received Oscar nominations for their roles.

Jarhead was heavily anticipated and although it does a lot right, the amount of things going against it make it a little bit of a disappointment. Running at only an hour and 55 minutes, a movie striving for such deep character study has to run much longer. We only really get to know one or two of the characters, if that, and it’s hard for us to actually care about what’s happening to everyone else on the screen when we don’t even know their names. The movie is structured a bit strangely and at times feels a bit too jumpy. This hurts the overall flow of the movie, which in the end hurts the effect it leaves at the completion. Speaking of effects, war films are also noted to be political debate gold mines, but for people looking to find anything to debate politically in Jarhead will be sorely disappointed. The film doesn’t voice any profound views on war. It doesn’t shove political stances in your face hoping to sway you to a certain side. I enjoyed this approach, but as a warning to others looking for some kind of debate within Jarhead, you will be dissapointed. To sum Jarhead up, you should expect the unexpected. This is the strangest war movie you will ever see. Jarhead isn’t the Best Picture nominee it was hyped to be, but it’s still a well made movie. If you leave the theater scratching your head, don’t worry, you won’t be the only one.

7/10

[jaw2929]

Well I went to see this one because my Bro wanted to... And while it was better than I thought it'd be, it wasn't half as good as Road to Perdition or American Beauty....

Gyllenhaal does an ok job as the main lead, but I don't think he deserves an oscar or anything for his performance... I was more intrigued and impressed by Peter Sarsgaard's character the most... This movie just details what it's like to be an american marine during the Gulf War, and I really just wasn't in the mood to see a war movie, with the war currently happening in the same fucking place for the same nonsensical pointless "reason"...

Overall it was an alright movie... I suppose it had more to do with my current attitude/opinion on the war happening now, that took me away from enjoying it more... But to it's credit, it doesn't take an anti or pro stance on the whole war concept either...

Jamie Foxx was alright, more or less a bit player, not stretching his acting range too far for this one... If you see this movie, see it because of Sarsgaard's performance, because that was really the best part of the whole flick I think... Just seein his character try to deal with the fact that it's his only role in life, to be a Marine, and what happens when the war is over with, etc.

[DRbeauty]

Originally posted by Moviefan02000
Duh, it's Jake, come on! :p

Oh yeah I forgot. I'm sure it's perfection

[Mr. Durp]

Originally posted by Trail_Blazer
This movie just details what it's like to be an american marine during the Gulf War, and I really just wasn't in the mood to see a war movie, with the war currently happening in the same fucking place for the same nonsensical pointless "reason"...

i'm sorry, i don't like to get political, especially on a message board about movies, but this war we are in right now is quite different from the gulf war.

same nonsensical pointless "reason"? in the gulf war, sadaam hussein was attempting to invade kuwait, and kuwait called on its allies for help, mainly the united states. it was one ally helping another.

the war we are in now, though brought on by al qaeda, is taking place in iraq. even though osama bin laden is responsible for 9/11, we went after hussein. not that hussein isn't a terrible man, but we had no reason to go after him at this moment in time.

this war is pointless. bush is just trying to get done in iraq what his father couldn't. he brought down hussein because his father never did. he's there for their oil. all the wrong reasons. and not the same reasons that brought us there 15 years ago.

like i said before, i don't like to get political on these boards. but nothing gets me more heated than people yelling pro-war or anti-war without getting their facts straight. sorry for the rant.

[LegionX]

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS**


I saw this movie late last night (I belive we started it around 12:45 am) and I have to say I am really glad we stayed after to watch this. This film was great. The character development was outstanding and the performances were brilliant. It brought the strong reality of what soldiers go through while they are away at war. It tells a story not of war, but of how the soldiers lived and survived with bordom. To alot of soldiers, especially stationed as snipers, were always bored. Many never even fired a single shot, such as Jake's character. It had its moments of hilarity and also it's moment of action. But a majority of the story was told arounda soldiers perspecive and not a wars perspecive. It was sad to see how some of the soldiers, while off defending their country, have to worry about their wives/girlfriends back at home.

**SPOILERS**
Especially when the tape of Deer Hunter comes for a soldier and him and the troops sit to watch, and it ends up being a porno of his wife in bed with the next door neighbor. WOW I would have went ape shit.

The story was fantastic and has the making of being a top 10 or even a top 5 of the year. Jaimie Foxx's performance is definetly worthy of an Oscar nod for best supporting actor as is Jake's role for best actor. This is a must see for everyone.

Solid 9/10

[jaw2929]

Originally posted by Mr. Durp
i'm sorry, i don't like to get political, especially on a message board about movies, but this war we are in right now is quite different from the gulf war.

same nonsensical pointless "reason"? in the gulf war, sadaam hussein was attempting to invade kuwait, and kuwait called on its allies for help, mainly the united states. it was one ally helping another.

the war we are in now, though brought on by al qaeda, is taking place in iraq. even though osama bin laden is responsible for 9/11, we went after hussein. not that hussein isn't a terrible man, but we had no reason to go after him at this moment in time.

this war is pointless. bush is just trying to get done in iraq what his father couldn't. he brought down hussein because his father never did. he's there for their oil. all the wrong reasons. and not the same reasons that brought us there 15 years ago.

like i said before, i don't like to get political on these boards. but nothing gets me more heated than people yelling pro-war or anti-war without getting their facts straight. sorry for the rant.

Mr. Durp, this is where our opinions differ... I think ALL war is pointless and nonsensical, and there is NO reason for ANY war to happen. Hence why I made said statement...

[Jedi]

For God's sake!
Is this the "Penis Discussion Thread" or wha?

get a life already...!!

[Mr. Durp]

Originally posted by Trail_Blazer
Mr. Durp, this is where our opinions differ... I think ALL war is pointless and nonsensical, and there is NO reason for ANY war to happen. Hence why I made said statement...

you're right, our opinions do differ. i would love a world without war too, but that is impossible in the world we live in today. war is a big reason why the united states is a world power. i believe there are some things worth fighting for, which is why it pisses me off so much when we're involved in a stupid war like this.

there will always be war. you have to realize that, and choose which wars are worth it.

but who am i kidding. my views won't change. yours won't either. there's really no point in carrying on, so i'll end it right here.

[Mahab]

In today’s politically-charged society, rare is the new war film that isn’t front-loaded with some preachy message. One might expect this doubly from a film like Jarhead, which is set in a situation very similar to the one our country finds itself in now, but that’s not the case. Jarhead is content to merely tell its story, which is at once both frustrating and refreshing.

Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a recently enlisted Marine who has no idea what he’s getting himself into. Shortly after arriving at boot camp, he finds himself the prize pupil of Sergeant Sykes (Jamie Foxx), the platoon commander of an elite unit of scout/snipers. After training that resembles war just a little too closely, “Swoff” is sent to action in the first Gulf War where he finds himself fighting some different kinds of enemies: boredom, fear, and doubt.

Jarhead, it turns out, is the war movie that isn’t – Swoff and his fellow Marines see very little in the way of actual combat. This may be boring by war movie standards, but in a case of ultimate irony, it’s also incredibly accurate. Director Sam Mendes has pulled a subtle trick on the audience – viewers will find themselves part of the experience rather than casual observers, almost as if they’re taking a spin on “Desert Storm: The Ride”.

Unfortunately, such an enhanced involvement in the story means that many of the film’s bigger points are amplified – such as the boredom the Marines suffer while waiting to be called into action. The film’s second act will alienate much of the audience who either can’t or won’t relate to what these characters are going through. Sure, it’s impossible to know without being there, but Mendes gives viewers just enough to get them thinking.

An important fact to remember throughout these scenes is Jarhead’s source: the memoirs of the real life Swofford. This is the war through his eyes, and Mendes is sure to minimize the scope of his film to keep it so; audiences see nothing that Swoff doesn’t see. Planes whiz by to targets unknown, Marines walk through the remnants of a battle already won through the air. By the time Swoff and the gang are mobilized, the feelings of frustration mounting in the audience will be genuine, not superficial.

It is in these later scenes that Mendes’ film truly succeeds, overcoming the lack of action with the peace offering of simply stunning photography. Audiences will see the ugly side of war without having to truly experience it and beauty is found in the most unexpected places, such as the appearance of a wild horse in the midst of burning oil fields. Some of Mendes’ shots do the war greater justice than it may deserve.

Gyllenhaal provides a solid, if unspectacular anchor for the film, and Foxx’s take on Sykes furthers his appeal as a dramatic actor – he makes his character into the kind of commander all Marines should be so lucky to have.

Ultimately, Jarhead is but one man’s story about a war so sterile and pre-packaged that the details are better left to the CNN archives. Not a traditional war movie in this fashion, but entertainment of a rare kind when left to stand on its own.

7/10

theMINIPLEX.com (http://www.theminiplex.com)

[silentasylum]

I just saw this and I have to say I really enjoyed it. This movie grabbed my attention from the opening scene. The two hours seemd to fly by. I think this is the best war movie since PLatoon. The dialogue between the soldiers never leaves a dull moment. The movie has some intense scenes that really show the mood war puts soldiers in. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did.


9/10

[therealjohng]

Originally posted by Lemmywinks
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





I saw this movie yesterday, and while I liked it, I didnt love it like American Beauty or Road to Perdition. Those 2 movies were perfect IMO. Jarhead just seemed all over the place. I felt like the soldiers were just waiting for something to happen, and I felt like that watching this movie. I liked some of the characters. Mostly Jake's and Peter's, although they were both dicks. Even though I like those 2 actors, I honestly didnt care about them at all. I honestly didnt feel connected to any of the characters at all. If any of them died, I honestly wouldnt have cared. I didnt care when Peter's character died.

Another probkem I had with the movie was that I didnt really understand what was going on in the whole movie. I mean, I understood what was happening, but I didnt understand the reasoning behind it. Maybe its because I'm not familiar with the gulf war, but I dont know. When Jake's character pisses himself, is it because he is afraid, or just so excited that something is actually happening that he just...pisses. A lot of the characters actions werent fully explained.Jake went so suddenly from being an ok guy to putting a gun to one of his fellow marines, and it happened so fast, without much motivation. Even if there was motivation, we didnt really get to see it. Sure his gf is cheating on him, and he is bored, but we dont really see that slow transition from nice kid to crazy marine. I mean, honestly, from seeing other people go crazy in war movies, there was no real motivation that Mendes showed us for Swafford to go nuts. I just didnt feel it.


First off, Lemmywinks fucking ruled on South Park. Second, I respect your opinion and I mean no disrespect when I post this.

I think you need to watch the movie again. The problem you have with Jake's character going crazy is explained throughout the movie. At least I felt there was enough there to justify him going nuts. Everything he's dealing with: cheating girlfriend, no action, bordem. All that is motivation for him to put the gun to his buddy's head.

Just my two cents.

[DRbeauty]

Originally posted by Jedi
For God's sake!
Is this the "Penis Discussion Thread" or wha?

get a life already...!!

Don't hate

[The Heart Collector]

PENIS PENIS PENIS

[ilovemovies]

Not on par with Sam Mendes previous two efforts (American Beauty and Road to Perdition) but very good nonetheless. The first half of the movie was fantastic. Very engaging and terrifically funny and dramatic and entertaining. The last third of the movie is decent but not nearly as good as what had come before it IMO. The pacing is a little off at times during these scenes. I was a little disappointed at how little screen time Chris Cooper and Dennis Haysbert had though Haysbert's first scene when Gyllenhaal is cleaning the toilets was funny. But neither had much more than 3 minutes of screen time overall. Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent and Peter Sarsgard and Jaime Foxx are very good too. Overall, this is not going to go on my list of the ten best films of the year (like I was hoping) but it's still very good nonetheless.

[AwesomeJ33]

I saw this gem on opening night with the wife and then with the "movie club" on saturday afternoon. In my opinion, much better then "Road" and not as good as "Beauty", but that can be excused because Alan Ball wasn't writting it.

That being said, the best movie I've seen this year to date. My main man Roger Deakins (of Coen Bros. fame) delivers once again in a washed out look that gives the film a dirty/grainy look that fits the desert setting to a tee. Some of the images after the Iraqi's burn the oil fields are some of the more beautifully haunting images I've ever seen put to screen. The dream sequence set to Nirvana, and a nirvana song least likely to be awesomely used in a movie is terriffic.

The acting is in top form from Black, Jake and Sarsgaard as the grunts in Golf Company, Foxx is serviceable but seemed out of place to me, he should stick to playing blind smack addicts & Cooper is hardly in the darn thing.

But the thing you take away from the film the most is that these kids, trained to be killers, and having that blood lust that just festers... and they wait....... and wait.......... with nothing to do but masterbate and hydrate and then wait some more, until, nothing happens. The intensity that Jake brings to the screen is magnificent, and the key scene that everyone is talking about with President Palmer/Cerano and Sarsgaard and Gyllenhaal is just perfectly sublime.

I was in college during the first Gulf War and had friends that were Jarheads and all they could talk about was going over there and busting some skulls, my friends could have easily been characters in this movie. That type of mentality isn't something you pick up along the way of life, you're born to kill, as Swafford's family were before him, only Swaff picked the wrong time to be born. CNN and technology changed the course of warfare forever. And to the boys over there for 6 and a half months with all that angst and rage and fear built up in them with no release, it's amazing that you don't hear about more Gulf Vets going off the deep end.

I love voiceovers
9/10 Movie of the Year to date.

[chinton]

To me Road To Perdition was a beautiful but hollow film. Jarhead was better but not as good as American Beauty.

Also I just found the surrealistic images in the oilfield so much mroe compelling than what had come before but I guess Im in the moniority on that.

[Lemmywinks]

Originally posted by therealjohng
First off, Lemmywinks fucking ruled on South Park. Second, I respect your opinion and I mean no disrespect when I post this.

I think you need to watch the movie again. The problem you have with Jake's character going crazy is explained throughout the movie. At least I felt there was enough there to justify him going nuts. Everything he's dealing with: cheating girlfriend, no action, bordem. All that is motivation for him to put the gun to his buddy's head.

Just my two cents.

No disrespect taken sir. I probably do need to watch it again, but I just dont feel the way you do. I actually dont feel like there was enough to justify him going nuts. They should of shown us some more transition scenes. There just werent enough scenes to show him starting to go crazy. It just felt like one second he was a cool guy, and the next he was trying to kill his friend. It kinda reminded me of SW:Episode 3, where anakin doesnt have enough transition between stubborn good guy, to child killing darth vader. You get what I'm sayin?

[MadsenOMC]

You don't think that serving in Iraq, far away from home and friends and family, is enough to make a person go crazy (regardless of how much action they see)? I sure as hell do.

[Lemmywinks]

If they would have gone deeper into Swaffords Psyche, maybe I would have believed more. Like I said before though, "maybe I'm just not familiar with the gulf war." I've never served in the military, so I dont know exactly what these guys go through. The movie gave us a glimpse, but other war movies have had guys gone crazy for better reasons.

[Lazy Boy]

That's probably the reason why I couldn't connect to the movie.

Sgt. Hartman physically and mentally torturing Lawrence "Gomer Pyle" Leonard in Full Metal Jacket -- now that's one way to show the complete mental breakdown of a human being.

Boredom doesn't do it for me, although it is a plausible reason for a psychotic snap.

[therealjohng]

Originally posted by Lemmywinks
No disrespect taken sir. I probably do need to watch it again, but I just dont feel the way you do. I actually dont feel like there was enough to justify him going nuts. They should of shown us some more transition scenes. There just werent enough scenes to show him starting to go crazy. It just felt like one second he was a cool guy, and the next he was trying to kill his friend. It kinda reminded me of SW:Episode 3, where anakin doesnt have enough transition between stubborn good guy, to child killing darth vader. You get what I'm sayin?


I get exactly what you're saying. I felt the same way about EpIII. A movie, the more I think about, the more I don't like it.

[LegionX]

Originally posted by Lemmywinks
The movie gave us a glimpse, but other war movies have had guys gone crazy for better reasons.

You said it just right....OTHER movies have done that. This movie sticks so close to the truth that its boring and not belivable by the general audience. If you or anyone for that matter was in Iraq, not knowing what your gf/wife was doing while you were gone for months and months at a time, and not seeing your kids (especially if they are just born while your over seas) and sleeping in 100 Degree weather out in the middle of the desert day in and day out, They would go absoultly nuts. I know I would without question!

[silentasylum]

How can being miles away from home constitute as boredom? I think the fact that they felt lied to, the heat, the sand, the unfamiliarity is what did the charcters in. Boredom may have been a small contributor but not the main reason. These soldiers are in Iraq. Most of you would probably beg to come home during bootcamp. It sounds like the soldiers efforts are being dwindled down to camping out at someone's backyard.

[KcMsterpce]

Extreme boredom, and being in the situation that so many soldiers are in even NOW in the Middle East can be an extremely taxing situation on anyone.
You end up going insane in some ways, and it's not easy to explain easily to someone who hasn't experienced it.

It's got to be similar to what it's like in a submarine. If you're underwater for three (many times more) months, stuck with the same guys in an extremely confined space (working in a room with 15 people that's 5'x15') 12 hours a day 7 days a week, you will find yourself saying and doing things that you'd never EVER do on your own time.

That's what I liked about JARHEAD. It didn't seem fabricated hardly at all, and it did a good job showing how crazy/stupid you get when you're in their kind of situation. *shrug*

[War Movie Mania]

This is by far the best movie of 2005.

If Jake Gyllenhal doesn't get a Best Actor Nomination I'm going to be angry!

The cinematography in this movie is just so beautiful. Every scene is perfectly crafted. The movie itself is just wonderful to watch.

Jake Gyllenhal who plays Swafford does an excellent job, as does Peter Saarsgard. You can really feel what it was like for them.

I rate this movie a 9/10. It was almost a perfect movie.

The biggest thing I felt that was wrong with this movie was that Jamie Foxx's role seemed out of place.

Everyone go see this movie if you havn't already!!!!


9/10

[electriclite]

I got to see Jarhead last night, and it has got to be the only movie made that truly captured what the first Gulf War came to be known as: The Nintendo War.

It was the first war that was waged from far away and with buttons and not face to face combat. I mean we only had 75 US casualties during the first Gulf War as oppsed to the Iraqi's 100, 000(?). It was a totally technological war, that saved the lives of thousands of US troops. Which is great, but what the movie shows and even says is that each generation sees a new war the way a previous war went.

Some of these guys expected at least a little action, like in "Nam. They didn't want the quagmire, just the action, and of course they were let down, just like those who fought in Vietnam, thought it was going to be that noble effort like back in World War 2. It makes you wonder what our current troops expected when going into this war.

The movie really makes you contemplate what the "job" of a soldier is. What is the purpose of a Marine in the military, in a mission? My dad's a Vietnam vet, and from what I've heard from him over the years and watching these guys I've always gotten the impression that anyone trained to be on the front lines, ideally has to 1.) Always in the present. That they should not think anything before or past that.

2.) If you train a person to kill, then by God give'm that opportunity. I mean these guys go to boot camp and are conditioned out of the confines society has initially placed on them, and the reason for this is to obviously keep them alive in battle. But the Gulf War contradicted all this training and it left them frustrated and bored. Like training for the Olympics and sacrificing so much and then in the end not even getting to compete. Peter Sarsgaard quoted Hemingway, saying they "burned the fat off their souls", but it never happened, they were changed in the end but that fat was never burned off. These guys uprooted their lives, their relationships and they can't really say for what.

I think Jarhead will go down as the definitive Gulf War 1 movie.

8.5/10

[Badbird]

Originally posted by The Heart Collector
PENIS PENIS PENIS

The row of dudes behind me suddenly got real animated when this scene came on.

Fucking grow up.

Same thing happened in 28 Days Later when the main guy wakes up naked in the hospital, some dude behind me was like "What the fuck?"

Yeah, dude. It's another dude's cock. Shut the fuck up. Watching porn must be really hard for you... no pun intended.

[Suhlang]

From an ex-Jarhed that was actually there I have to say overall I was really disappointed. Sam had great attention to detail when it came to the uniforms, our sniper rifle, and even how we used to cut our trigger fingers in the gloves off. But the boot camp part sucked. Movies will always be in the shadow of Full Metal Jacket, which is exactly how it is. The ending was pretty blah and it left some questions unanswered. The rest inbetween (and I get it that this was pretty much intended) was kind of like...Oh god this is...oh.....Oh man did you...oh.

Yes, this was mostly a sorti war, bombing the hell out of targets, but I have shrapnel wounds in my left arm and two stab wounds in my abdomen that remind me that it wasn't the "Nintendo" war that everyone thinks it was. The movie brought back memories, both good and bad, made me remember some of my friends and team members, but overall I really felt it fell short.

[NightStalkerGtx]

i was watching the HBO making of and they actually had real jarheads on the set with the cast training them pretty cool anyone else see it?

[Skellington]

Very good movie

9/10