No film can truly encapsulate the raw experiences of those who have endured the horrors of war. However, the finest war movies manage to evoke feelings of discomfort, distress, shock and horror, reflecting the brutalities humans have inflicted on each other throughout our history.
Among the recent cinematic triumphs is the 2022 German masterpiece All Quiet on the Western Front, which poignantly portrays the harrowing journey of young soldiers in World War One. The annals of film history also celebrate timeless classics such as The Great Escape (1963) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
The 1990s witnessed a surge of impactful movies that became emblematic of the genre, including Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan.
The 1970s were particularly prolific in producing some of the most acclaimed war films, with Deer Hunter (1978) and Apocalypse Now (1979) standing out as monumental works.
And the 1980s brought us Full Metal Jacket, hailed as an “all time great” and rightfully earning its spot among the greatest war films. Directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, the movie is split into two distinct segments, as reported by Surrey Live.
The first part delves into the lives of young men conscripted into the US Marine Corps, focusing on their gruelling training for the Vietnam War. It zooms in on Private Leonard ‘Pyle’ Lawrence, portrayed by Vincent d’Onofrio, and his interactions with Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, memorably played by the late R Lee Ermey.
The second half of the film unfolds in Vietnam’s war zones, focusing on Sergeant James ‘Joker’ Davis (portrayed by Matthew Modine), who survived training under Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. The movie delivered some of the most memorable quotes in cinematic history and was up for Best Screenplay at the 1988 Oscars.
Despite its setting amid the Vietnam conflict, a significant portion was shot in London’s very own Beckton Gas Works on the Isle of Dogs. Matthew Modine didn’t mince words, describing it as “besides Ground Zero during 9/11, the most toxic place I’ve ever had the displeasure of being”.
Kubrick transformed the industrial location into a convincing replica of Vietnam’s devastated battlefields. Regarding the hazardous conditions on set, Modine recalled: “We all knew we were crawling around in asbestos and we understood the dangers of that. But we had no understanding of the heinous chemicals that were in the soil. During tea breaks dust was always settling on the cakes and biscuits, floating on top of our tea. God knows how much we ingested and what effect it’s had on our bodies.”
Reflecting on the film’s legacy three decades after it first hit screens, Finlay Greig, writing for The i Paper, asserted: “Almost exactly 30 years since its UK release, Full Metal Jacket remains a more damning commentary on war than any film that came before, or has come since.”
Full Metal Jacket has received glowing tributes from critics, with Henry Sheehan remarking in the Chicago Reader: “The most horrifying moments of Full Metal Jacket are those in which the young Americans gladly assist in their own damnation.”
Meanwhile, Vulture placed the film at number 18 in its compilation of the top 50 greatest war films, describing it as: “Joker tries to hold on to the shreds of his humanity that he’s been able to preserve in the midst of the war, which Kubrick stages as a surreal swirl of violence and confusion in which nothing delicate and meaningful can survive”.
Matthew Modine, who launched his career with Full Metal Jacket, went on to become a prominent Hollywood actor with roles in hits like Stranger Things and Oppenheimer. Vincent d’Onofrio’s credits include standout performances in Daredevil and a decade in Law and Order, while R Lee Ermey featured in another major movie, Mississippi Burning, shortly after.
Full Metal Jacket is available for streaming—with a fee of £3.49—on platforms such as Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and YouTube.