AC's Jarhead movie review

[A_C_Slater]

This movie rules! Hard. That is all.

[RustedCorpse]

I didn't think the movie was that good as a movie, but it was at least realistic which is what I was hoping for.

[phixxx]

I wanted to see some americans dying. Such a dissapointment.

[ThaSaltCracka]

totally watered down from the book.

I give it 3 out of 5.

Jake and Jamie were good though.

[rusty JEDI]

[ QUOTE ]
This movie rules! Hard. That is all.

[/ QUOTE ]

People who go with expectations like this will be disappointed.

Overall I think it was the best movie without a plot that ive seen. However, movies are supposed to have plots.

It was very slow through times.

I got the narnia bucket popcorn combo. Seemed like I got more popcorn than the standard bag.

rJ

[Lazymeatball]

Will people who liked "Black Hawk Down" with Josh Hartnett like this movie? Does it stick to a plot and ignore all sorts of political messages? (TSC said it has no plot already) Is there good action? Does it accurately depict marine life in Desert Storm?

And I don't wanna here about whiners who say the book was better. The book is ALWAYS better, and if I wasn't so lazy I'd take the 5-10 hours to read it. I want to know if it's better than all the other crappy movies that are out there.

ps. Did anyone see "Green Street Hooligans" with Frodo in it? That looked good. maybe there's already a thread on it or something.

[rusty JEDI]

[ QUOTE ]
Will people who liked "Black Hawk Down" with Josh Hartnett like this movie? Does it stick to a plot and ignore all sorts of political messages? (TSC said it has no plot already) Is there good action? Does it accurately depict marine life in Desert Storm.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can answer a couple of your questions.


I didnt see any political messages at all.
There was no action.
I think the whole point of the movie was to depict marine life through desert storm.

[chuddo]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a129/chuddo/e340ce15.jpg

[SittinOnDubsWGW]

^^^
hahaha, thats classic

The tagline on the poster says it all "welcome to the suck."

A whole lot of nothing goes on in this film. It has some parts to it which were good, but overall I found this movie to be a very average film. Jake and Jamie are really what keep this film together, both do great jobs at their roles.

I would give it a solid "C" but thats about it.

[ThaSaltCracka]

The book just does a better job of decribing the mentality of jarheads. I think there needed to be more explaining of that in the movie. Other than that, the movie was good, but I knew what to expect going in. I knew there wasn't going to be much if any action.

[ClaytonN]

awesomeness

So if I loved the book will I be horribly disappointed?

[RunDownHouse]

[ QUOTE ]
Will people who liked "Black Hawk Down" with Josh Hartnett like this movie?

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't find Gyllenhaal as dreamy, but maybe that's just personal preference.

[ QUOTE ]
Does it stick to a plot and ignore all sorts of political messages? (TSC said it has no plot already)

[/ QUOTE ]
There isn't a whole lot in the way of plot. It does do a fairly good job of avoiding politics. One character goes as far as to say (to a fellow Marine), "Once you're out here, that's all bullshit."

[ QUOTE ]
Is there good action?

[/ QUOTE ]
Parts of it were very, very intense. Not blood-and-gore like Black Hawk Down, but tension intense.

Overall, I liked it. The lack of a plot led to a bit of a lack of closure at the end, but maybe that was sort of the point. As pointed out by the narrator, those experiences will never go away for those who were there. I'm not a big fan of Foxxxxxx, but he did do a very good job here. Gyllenhaal was also decent.

[Voltron87]

In a half sentence: [censored] great.

This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Very well done, very funny, and well put together. Those who say it has no political message, you are just wrong and missing the point. (maybe spoilers, if you haven't seen it just see it I give it a full rec) 1. The politics of the war dont really have much to do with what the movie focuses on, and 2. the movie does address the politics, in that one scene where they are driving out and one guy says "man this is bullshit we are doing this so some kuwaitis can wipe their ass with oil" and the corporal replies "STFU, we are here now and we are in this". that short exchange and the total lack of any other political discourse IS the political aspect. i thought that and the vietnam vet at the end made up a very strong political aspect. maybe political is not the right word but it deals with "the bad [censored] in war".

i havent read the book, im going to now though. maybe since i havent read it I will view it in a different light than those who have. i honestly give this movie a 9/10, maybe even 9.5, one of the best ive seen in a long time. im seeing it again.

[dblgutshot]

The only part of the movie I really disliked (when comparing the movie to the book) was the vietnam vet scene. Scene was great in the book and in the movie I just thought it was way too awkward the way it was done.

[Voltron87]

I can see it being awesome in the book, and also why some people didnt really like it. i have mixed feelings about it too, but the content and idea of it is very important. I sort of thought it was supposed to be kind of awkward?

also- allstate man is showing up in all kinds of weird places

[A_C_Slater]

Can someone name a better movie made so far in this year?

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
totally watered down from the book.


[/ QUOTE ]
yeah, they spent two hours on the war and that was 20 pages of the book.

when the war ended in the movie, i leaned over to my gf and said, "this is gonna have to be a really long movie," knowing that they hadn't even got into troy's death and many other things.

but i did go into the movie expecting this, so i was entertained at least. jake's performance was very good.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I saw the trailer for this and was intrigued so I read the book. I like the book, but at the end I sort of felt like the author's problems didn't stem from the war or from being a marine; I think he would feel the same anguish had he never joined.

A lot of people are saying it didn't have much of a plot. Neither did the book. So the movie is probably pretty true to the source. I'm going to wait for it on dvd.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
I saw the trailer for this and was intrigued so I read the book. I like the book, but at the end I sort of felt like the author's problems didn't stem from the war or from being a marine; I think he would feel the same anguish had he never joined.


[/ QUOTE ]
i guess we took two totally different views from this book. you think swofford feels anguish post-gulf war?

[dblgutshot]

regarding troys death: this was one thing I wanted to see in the movie (the bender these guys went on after the war).

That woulda been fun...

[tdarko]

and the crushing of the locals in the bar fight after troys death.

[A_C_Slater]

[ QUOTE ]
and the crushing of the locals in the bar fight after troys death.

[/ QUOTE ]


So he gets killed in a barfight and then the marines take revenge on the guy's that did it?

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
So he gets killed in a barfight and then the marines take revenge on the guy's that did it?

[/ QUOTE ]
haha, no. you see why the movie left you hanging?

troy dies in a car wreck and swofford and his fellow STA's marines go on a bender. they are hammered at a bar and a local is saying how troy was a loser and that basically he had it coming etc.

the jarheads [censored] up a bar full of locals sending them to the hospital even though they were outnumbered. the police end up letting them off the hook since they had just fought for our country and they knew of troy's death. really good stuff.

[dblgutshot]

No they are just drinking at a pub at some local guy starts mouthing off about jarheads suck etc, then a brawl.

[Dr. Strangelove]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I saw the trailer for this and was intrigued so I read the book. I like the book, but at the end I sort of felt like the author's problems didn't stem from the war or from being a marine; I think he would feel the same anguish had he never joined.


[/ QUOTE ]
i guess we took two totally different views from this book. you think swofford feels anguish post-gulf war?

[/ QUOTE ]

The last page makes me wonder how he hasn't killed himself.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
The last page makes me wonder how he hasn't killed himself.

[/ QUOTE ]
haven't read it in awhile, but from what i remember he is talking about how his life is filled with regret b/c he is built as a marine and you aren't a marine unless you have killed and he didn't even fire his rifle and you are nothing w/o your rifle as the rifle is nothing w/o you etc etc etc. basically him talking about regret as a man and marine.

then you turn the page and he talks and he does a complete 360 on you talking about how his life would be different had he taken THE shot and had he killed another human being and how the regret has left him.

it has been awhile, am i wrong? i don't have the book on me cause its been passed around amongst friends for months now.

[Voltron87]

i think me having not read the book made me like the movie much more than if i had. all these people who have read the book are saying "yeah it was good but the book siad all this...". im going to get the book tomorrow. honestly, this is one of the best movies ive seen in a while. there are a couple awkward parts but theres so much really good and original stuff in it that it is up there.

if anyone else says "OMFG theres no political content" i am going to flip out on them. the movie flew over those people's heads.

[rusty JEDI]

[ QUOTE ]


troy dies in a car wreck and swofford and his fellow STA's marines go on a bender. they are hammered at a bar and a local is saying how troy was a loser and that basically he had it coming etc.

the jarheads [censored] up a bar full of locals sending them to the hospital even though they were outnumbered. the police end up letting them off the hook since they had just fought for our country and they knew of troy's death. really good stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

You totally just ruined Jarhead 2.

rJ

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
The book is ALWAYS better, and if I wasn't so lazy I'd take the 5-10 hours to read it.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Jarhead" was one of the quickest reads ever for me. Read it.

~ Rick

PS "Godfather" the movie was much better than "Godfather" the book except for when Sonny pumped that cousin or whatever against the door which to this day still makes me horny.

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
So if I loved the book will I be horribly disappointed?

[/ QUOTE ]

No. The book is of course better but one thing I liked in the movie was that Swofford doesn't seem to come across as much of a whiner as he did in the book.

I bet this would have been a fun movie to screen in Oceanside (near Camp Pendleton) but my guess is a pencil necked geek such as myself would have been killed.

~ Rick

[Blarg]

LOL.

As to Godfather, I read it after seeing the movie and was very pleasantly surprised. It's a very good read. Mario Puzo is a very good storyteller.

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
I saw the trailer for this and was intrigued so I read the book. I like the book, but at the end I sort of felt like the author's problems didn't stem from the war or from being a marine; I think he would feel the same anguish had he never joined.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with the above although I'm looking forward to more from Swofford. I was amazed in the book how much Swofford revealed about his family (in the book), including stuff that is generally kept very private.

~ Rick

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
the jarheads [censored] up a bar full of locals sending them to the hospital even though they were outnumbered. the police end up letting them off the hook since they had just fought for our country and they knew of troy's death. really good stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the cops let them go mostly because they took care of most of the degenerates in town.

~ Rick

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
LOL.

As to Godfather, I read it after seeing the movie and was very pleasantly surprised. It's a very good read. Mario Puzo is a very good storyteller.

[/ QUOTE ]

The part of Godfather the book I really didn't like was all that sort of gynological (sp?) stuff. But it was years ago when I read it so maybe today I'd like if more, being a bit more knowledgeable in this area.

~ Rick

[Blarg]

It was pretty silly stuff, but good for a grin here and there. The rest of the book was more interesting. I love the Sinatra-type stuff.

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't think the movie was that good as a movie, but it was at least realistic which is what I was hoping for.


[/ QUOTE ]

Given the writer, producer, and all of the actor's strong left political slants, can you really expect them to reproduce anything in remotely accurate regarding the Marine Corps? Have you spoken to any Marines who have seen this movie and asked them if its in any way accurate?

[Blarg]

I think it has been confirmed -- perhaps by Fox News? -- that nobody left wing could possibly be remotely accurate regarding anything at all. Ask Rush Limbaugh, who's not just making this stuff up, folks.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I didn't think the movie was that good as a movie, but it was at least realistic which is what I was hoping for.


[/ QUOTE ]

Given the writer, producer, and all of the actor's strong left political slants, can you really expect them to reproduce anything in remotely accurate regarding the Marine Corps? Have you spoken to any Marines who have seen this movie and asked them if its in any way accurate?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yup, talked to my friend last night. He is ex-Marine, Gulf War One Vet, etc. Said it was very accurate.

[TheMainEvent]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I didn't think the movie was that good as a movie, but it was at least realistic which is what I was hoping for.


[/ QUOTE ]

Given the writer, producer, and all of the actor's strong left political slants, can you really expect them to reproduce anything in remotely accurate regarding the Marine Corps? Have you spoken to any Marines who have seen this movie and asked them if its in any way accurate?

[/ QUOTE ]

Who cares if it is accurate? It's a hollywood movie, it's entertainment. Only morons watch movies to find out what's really going on in the world.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Who cares if it is accurate? It's a hollywood movie, it's entertainment. Only morons watch movies to find out what's really going on in the world.

[/ QUOTE ] Here is the thing about Mendes' movies. They are always about the people, and not current events. How anyone can watch this movie and think there was some sort of left bias is beyond me. This movie is about people, plain and simple.

[RustedCorpse]

I'm an ex marine with combat time too, (not gulf) and I have to say it's very realistic for what it was written for. One of the biggest things about being a marine is that you're a [censored] killer. I mean I spent 5 years basically being told my job was to kill as many people as possible before dying myself. But nowadays we end up just patrolling bombed out wastelands, or going through cities with 50% expected casualties with no "honor" to seek. I think the lamentation the author/movie tries to explain is that there are people that are more hardcore gladiator's than today's world, even inwar, allows, hence all the Vietnam comparisons.

[fsuplayer]

[ QUOTE ]
i think me having not read the book made me like the movie much more than if i had. all these people who have read the book are saying "yeah it was good but the book siad all this...". im going to get the book tomorrow. honestly, this is one of the best movies ive seen in a while. there are a couple awkward parts but theres so much really good and original stuff in it that it is up there.



[/ QUOTE ]

this is exactly why I never read the book first if i know a movie is soon to follow or its already out.

totally ruins the experiance of the movie, bc you are just concentrating on whats lacking.

very cool movie btw.

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
The book is ALWAYS better, and if I wasn't so lazy I'd take the 5-10 hours to read it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lazy, lol. Is there anything that takes less energy than reading? You don't even have to look for the remote.