Jarhead
Jarhead Movie Review
Based on the former marine Anthony Swofford's best
selling book, Jarhead follows Swofford's experiences from rebel
slacker in boot camp through his time spent as an elite sniper during the
Gulf War. It's hard to look at this film and not think of Full Metal
Jacket. Both films share similar stereotyped characters (the loud mouth
drill sergeant, the innocent boy hardened by the effects of war), which
shouldn't be a knock against Jarhead. These types of films have
been done way too often for there not to be similarities between them. I'm
pretty sure Sam Mendes realized this because while Full Metal Jacket
has a very serious feel to it, Jarhead revels in dark humor. This
film is by no means an all out comedy, but there are situations in this
film that you can't help but laugh at and that is one of Jarhead's
biggest strengths.
One thing that has always amazed me about Sam Mendes is that he has stayed
away from giving his films a signature look and feel. From the clean colorful
filled world of America Beauty, to the dark brooding world of Road
to Perdition, each film has its own unique look and feel and Jarhead
is no different. Shot in the deserts of California, Mendes and cinematographer
Roger Deakins (The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo, A
Beautiful Mind) use the desert landscape to create a barren landscape
that makes each characters experience a very lonely one. The sand is always
blowing and the scenery is very dull and distant which is important to having
a sense of what the characters were experiencing and the factors that lead
to their eventual meltdowns. Also, by giving Jarhead the look and
feel of watching a documentary, the characters and situations feel real.
Jake Gyllenhaal in Jarhead
One of the strengths of the book was Swofford's sarcastic take on key events throughout the story and I don't think Mendes agreed with that, because he kept Swafford's voice to a minimum throughout the film. When he does allow the voiceovers to guide you through the story, they easily become some of the best moments in the film.
Jarhead has all the makings of a heavyweight Oscar contender, but
one key missing ingredient leaves the film feeling hollow. Great dark humor,
excellent visuals, tense pacing and a ironic subplot that pays off (or doesn't
depending on your sense of humor) in the end are all pieces that will make
this film a popular war flick, but the lack of any emotional attachment
to the characters prevents jarhead from joining the list of all time classic
war films like Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now.
Score:   
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