Full metal jacket

Stanley Kubrick’s disturbing and darkly funny Vietnam war drama about the dehumanizing process involved in turning young men into trained killers is divided into two distinct acts. Based on Gustav Hasford’s “The Short-Timers”, the first part focuses on the slow descent into madness of a young recruit in basic training, Private Gomer Pyle (Vincent D’Onofrio). He undergoes a process of systematic torture, verbal abuse and cruel disciplinary measures administered by a sadistic drill Sergeant (Lee Emery). The second part shows the bastardization process in action as it follows Private Joker (Mathew Modine) as he navigates himself around the madness and senselessness of the Vietnam war. This isn’t the first time Kubrick has dealt with the inhumanities of war, having tackled similar themes in the brilliant ‘Paths of Glory’. With ‘Full Metal Jacket’ however, he achieves in presenting an absurd and chilling vision of hell on earth. Cast also includes Adam Baldwin, Arliss Howard, Dorian Harewood and Kevyn Major Hasford. Original music by Abigail Mead (Kubrick’s daughter Vivian Kubrick).