No film can capture the visceral reality of war — but the most compelling war films stir up a profound sense of unease, sorrow, shock and horror that at least go some way to reflecting the brutalities humans have inflicted on each other throughout our history.
The 2022 German epic All Quiet on the Western Front stands out as a recent cinematic gem, offering a gut-wrenching depiction of young soldiers’ ordeal during the First World War. The film archives also hold in high regard ageless masterpieces like The Great Escape (1963) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
The 1990s saw a resurgence of powerful war movies that became synonymous with the genre, including the poignant Schindler’s List and the intense Saving Private Ryan.
The 1970s were a golden era for war cinema, producing some of the most celebrated films in the genre, with Deer Hunter (1978) and Apocalypse Now (1979) emerging as towering achievements.
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.
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 Hartman. The movie delivers some of the most memorable quotes in cinematic history and was up for Best Screenplay at the 1988 Oscars.
Although set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, a substantial part of the film was actually shot at Beckton Gas Works on London’s Isle of Dogs. Matthew Modine didn’t hold back in his description, labelling it “besides Ground Zero during 9/11, the most toxic place I’ve ever had the displeasure of being”.
Director Kubrick skilfully turned the industrial site into a believable stand-in for the ravaged landscapes of Vietnam. Modine recounted the perilous conditions on set, saying: “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.”
Thirty-eight years on, Full Metal Jacket is held up as one of the best war films ever made. Finlay Greig, writing for The i Paper, reflected on its enduring impact, stating: “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.”
Henry Sheehan in the Chicago Reader said: “The most horrifying moments of Full Metal Jacket are those in which the young Americans gladly assist in their own damnation.”
On the BBC, Gregory Wakeman said the film proved Kubrick “was the master of both transfixing and enlightening his audience at the same time”.
Writing on the MovieMarker site, Luke Walkley said: “Split in two parts, we witness the brutality of life as a recruit and then the harsh reality of war. This description may sound verbatim to many other films in the war (specifically Vietnam) genre; however the sheer intensity of Kubrick’s film means it finds itself in a league of its own.”
And on the Cinemasters site, Rua Fay said: “Full Metal Jacket will go down in history as one of the most genius and tragically misunderstood political films of the century.”
Meanwhile, Vulture placed the film at number 18 in its compilation of the top 50 greatest war films, saying: “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”.
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 afterwards.
Full Metal Jacket is currently available to stream on Netflix with a subscription. It is also on available for streaming for £3.49 on platforms including Amazon Prime, Apple TV and YouTube.