Watched 'Jarhead' last night

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I've seen those PB tablets in the Army and was damn glad to have not taken them. They were supposed to help combat the ill effects of nerve gas along with the atropine injectors that were passed out among the troops. I met alot of troops who developed horrible skin rashes, sore joints and a hoist of other ilk coming back from that war. One soldier that I have personally known died of cancer at a VA hospital in Tennessee. Kids born with defects that I have seen while I was on active duty. I have seen soldiers kicked out of the military because they weren't fit for duty because of the war. It's a pitiful shame to see the Government do this to soldiers who served in time of need. Careers denied due to health related issues from Desert Storm. To top it all off this present war is doing nothing but splitting up marriages left and right. Wives won't get divorced until the 10/10 rule so she can get half of his pension when he retires and she has never served a day in uniform much less in war.:mad:
 
Desert Shield/Storm was my little war, along with a couple of insurrections in the Philipines, and constant vigilence of the western Pacific over six years. I did not read this book, but I was looking forward to the movie coming out on video. I rented it. I watched it. I took it back. It did not reflect my experience, and it besmirched my service to my country.

This movie is an insult to any Marine. And that's coming from a Sailor.
 
Gyllenhaal was far more convincing as a cowboy taking it in the rear than as a member of our armed forces.
 
I watched it. It leans too far to the left for me, But most movies now have political undertones.
I would almost rather watch a chick flick than watch a movie that promotes the agenda of the week.

Sorry.
 
quote davo"I wonder if hollywood will ever make a military film where the characters aren't crazy, want to serve, and are good people. (plus its a post WWII film)."

I can think of a couple...

Blackhawk Down
Siege Of Firebase Gloria
Green Berets,John Wayne

maybe not all 100% accurate but fits under that description
 
Good war movie = 'Enemy at the Gate'

Try the movie 'Enemy at the Gate' = very good movie, shows the hard life of a sniper and how to use everything around you to carry out the 'sniper's mission'
 
I watched this sniveling spoiled brat on c-span talking about his book. I did not like him and his audience were entralled as he was bashing the military and supporting their left wing sterotype of the military. Of coarse they loved him and HE spoke the TRUTH. He seemed to me to not be the kind of person I would want to be around.
 
The best thing that I experienced in the movie was the voice-over about the rifle:
A man fires a rifle for many years; And he goes to war. And afterward he turns the rifle in at the armoury; And he believes he's finished with the rifle. But no matter what else he might do with his hands, love a woman, build a house, change his son's diaper; His hands still remember the rifle.
Click to expand...
 
that's the line that most upset me, amprecon. I dunno, something about it just seems like he wants to make you think that he's som cold blooded killer who can never be a part of humanity again. But as I understand it, he never fired a shot in anger.

I spend a fair amount of time at the range, but I never think about pulling a trigger while i'm cuddling wiht a chica or playing with a baby. Now if I were Gunny Hathcock, it might be a bit different.
 
I just purchased it on dvd, have not watched it yet. So far I've liked everything I've ever seen Jamie Foxx in however.
 
I read it, haven't seen the movie. I have to wonder, though, about how much of the book was truthful. An awful lot of bragging in there, it seemed like. He described shooting the Barrett as "like an air rifle" (pp 222, 3rd paragraph). And that "The recoil is nothing." I know there are some crazy people out there who consider the .50 BMG to be a fairly soft-kicking cartridge comparatively speaking, and the M82A1 is a bit better than a bolt action, but I've never heard anyone who's shot one honestly describe it as being like an air rifle. It just struck me oddly that he would say it, phrased like that.
 
My 17-year-old son and I watched the DVD recently. He's planning on enlisting in the USMC next year. I'm a retired 25 year Army vet.

Our biggest disappointment with the film was the absence of drama. The essence of drama is conflict. We want to watch a protagonist to see how he faces conflict. Does he change the situation? Does he win or lose? Is he changed by the situation? Does he come out the other side a better person or a worse one?

Swofford begins the story as a young man who understands little of himself and little of the world around him. He's a slacker.

He meets with various challenges in the film. He never changes his surroundings. He influences no one. In no way does he change the situation.

Unfortunately, Swofford is not changed either. At the end of the film he still understands neither himself nor the world around him. He's still a slacker.

Ultimately, the film is boring because Swofford is boring. He's not a hero. He's not an anti-hero. He's just passing thru.

Bill
 
I thought the movie stunk, and although I did not serve, I have many friends that have. I am yet to meet one Marine who has one positive thing to say about the guy who wrote the book, the book, or the movie version. Not one. In fact, they'd all like to give him the "A Few Good Men" treatment.
 
Book better than movie. Movie just not the same. Neither one really portrayed the military to the standard that I feel is appropriate. Swooford was at University of Iowa when I was there and he is a character to say the least.
 
I actually went to the theater to see it the first week it came out. I did not think it was a very good movie. I'll watch it again when DTV runs it, but my first impression was negative.
 
Didn't see the movie. I bought the book while travelling and read it. It was shameful to hear a U.S. Marine whine that much. I ended up dumping it in the airport trash can after I was through with it.

badgerw's review is the most succinct and accurate review of the book/movie that I have seen.
 
I happened to rent the DVD last night.

There were a (very) few parts that were entertaining. However, the movie seemed to try to find every bad story I heard about the war and roll it up into one man's experience. If it was autobiographical (don't feel compelled to find out) then it's just one man's view of things. Would have been a different story if it was told from Jamie Foxx's character's POV.

Luckily I had two other movies to watch that night.

jmm
 
I was in the Marines and I thought it was great. Obviously they embellished and dramatized stuff as it's a movie, but it captured a lot of the feelings of people in the military. I like military movies like Black Hawk Down or Saving Private Ryan a lot, but I also like movies that show servicemembers as being human beings, not some super glorious warriors.
 
Ultimately, the film is boring because Swofford is boring. He's not a hero. He's not an anti-hero. He's just passing thru.
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This is why I liked the movie. Most Marines end up doing their contract and getting out. I doubt most of them see themselves as heroes.. just men who did the duty they signed up for. The experience forever leaks a mark on you though. That's what the whole dialouge about the rifle was about. Even though a person may have just "passed through" the Corps, it is an experience that stays with him/her for the rest of that person's life. The good and the bad.

I thought the movie captured the love/hate relationship that many Marines on active duty have with the Corps. Anyone who's been in the Marines knows how jarheads sit around talking about how the hate the barracks and chow hall and cant wait till get out... but those same Marines are always motivated during PT and always ready to go kick ass and take names if need be.

In Jarhead, youll notice that the main character was all pissy about being in Iraq, but when it came down to it, all he wanted to do in the end was carry out the job he was trained to do.

Also, I love Jamie Foxx's character. I swear, I've heard Staff NCO's talk just like him. The Corps is their life and they absolutely love it.
 
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