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Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Damion Poitier, Jamie Foxx, Jocko Sims, Lucas Black, Iván Fenyö, Brian Geraghty, Peter Gail, Jamie Martz, Evan Jones, Chris Cooper, Dennis Haysbert

Jarhead is neither a heroic, nor an entertaining war film. Instead, Sam Mendes employs the ample cinematic brilliance that he also applied in his astonishing films American Beauty (1999) and Road to Perdition (2002). The characters are far from perfect, as their imperfections emerge throughout the film. The characters are not depicted as heroes, but like chauvinistic mindless brutes trained for one single purpose – to kill. The title is also an allusion to this notion, as it refers in slang to Marines through their haircuts, but also the symbol of the head being a hollow container. The story becomes a journey into a personal hell based on Anthony Swofford’s book Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles that capture the indoctrination and transformation to murderous warriors that will serve orders faithfully. ***

The first impression that Jarhead makes is much like a reproduction of several other war films such as Kubrick’s brilliant Full Metal Jacket (1987), Stone’s bloody Platoon (1986), and Coppola’s surreal Apocalypse Now (1979) among many others. Some of the film’s uniqueness seems to suffer from the similarities of other cinematic experiences. Yet, it is also where some of the films strengths rest, as most people only can relate to war through the movies. Thus, through the audience’s recognition of other war films Mendes reaches all viewers when he makes one of the closing arguments that "Every war is different. Every war is the same." ***

A brief series of scenes portray some of the hard nose training that Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) had to endure, which included demeaning and cruel treatment. It is some the methods that drill sergeants apply to bring out the hatred and anger needed for a cruel and merciless killing machine. These images are put in the light of an introductory voice-over that echoes with the thoughtful notion that soldiers will never forget these murderous skills, as they will strive to reap the pleasures of life such as loving and nurturing. It is obvious that Swofford truly hates it in the Marines, and sees the whole ordeal as a gigantic mistake, as he finds himself under a nasty drill instructor that tries to bring out the worst in him. ***

Angry and troubled Swofford is shipped out to a new location where he meets his new unit, and is put under training as a scout sniper in the US Marine Corps. It is a rigorously harsh and difficult training lead by Staff Sergeant Sykes (Jamie Foxx) whose job it is to weed out the weak. Swofford finds the snipping business intriguing, and excels, as he becomes partner with Troy (Peter Sarsgaard). Eventually the training comes to an end, and the first Gulf Conflict commences a short period after the training. The idea of war makes all of the trigger-happy Marines cheerful that they are about to ship out to face the enemy that they have prepared for through the brutal training. ***

The blissfulness of war soon ceases, as they learn that they will dig into defensive positions while awaiting the war. It is an extremely difficult time for the soldiers, as they find themselves isolated from civilization and the loved ones at home. As the days run by Swofford and the other soldiers hydrate, eat, masturbate, train, or sleep. In between the daily routine, they find much time to think about life and death. Swofford thinks about his girlfriend, and how much he wants to be with her. Meanwhile, his buddies in desert camouflage makes fun of how much they also desire his girlfriend. However, as the time goes by it becomes apparent through the letters that his girlfriend becomes restless and seeks new friendships. It is when his insecurities begin a personal war on himself, a war that can drive a person mad. In a sense, Mendes captures some of the same mystique that Malick’s The Thin Red Line (1998) posed, as his soldier desires to get away from the war and enjoy living life and all of its pleasures. ***

As most people should know the war eventually starts, as Operation Desert Storm begins. It also means that Swofford and his brothers-in-arms can finally do what they are trained to do. However, it brings the audience through a surrealistic experience, especially when approaching the burning oil wells. There is one scene where Swofford encounters an oil-drenched horse under the pitch-black sky covered in the sooty smoke. The scene brings to mind Salvador Dali’s painting The Burning Giraffe, which he painted to show his personal struggle with the war in Spain during the 1930s. Swofford also seems to undergo some personal struggle, as he tries to keep his humanity intact around the death and darkness that surrounds him. ***

Overall Jarhead presents a terrific cinematic experience. The camerawork is extraordinary through some of its emotionally scaring imagery and its portrayal of the characters. The lighting also feels scorching with its overwhelming whiteness in the desert day scenes. Gyllenhaal’s personification of Swofford accentuates the psychological war that often is undergone in each soldiers mind in a truthful manner, which also enhances the cinematic experience. Many of the supporting cast also enhance the emotional predicament that Swofford experiences. In addition, the small, but meaningful appearances by Chris Cooper and Dennis Haysbert also enhance the overall visual experience. However, the story is not unique, as already mentioned, and this portion of the film, even though it serves the film well, has an impact on the cinematic experience. Nonetheless, Jarhead presents a truly intriguing and worthwhile viewing. ***

Both the image and sound on the Jarhead DVD are excellent. The image contains a lot of swift camera movement, which often leads to movement artifacts and other digital distortions, but here it is held to a minimum. The stunning cinematography shines throughout the film with its strong light contrasts, which shows pure black levels. The gritty look brings out the realistic look on the film much like a documentary, which is also the director’s intention. The audio handles heavy and subtle sounds with great detail, as it brings out a genuine feel for the aural environment in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Neither the visual nor aural presented any digital distortion that would negatively affect the cinematic experience. ***

Those viewers who are interested in additional material should seek out the two-disc collector edition. On the single disc version there are only a few extras including Swoff’s Fantasies that contain four scenes from the film that can be seen independently with commentary by the director Sam Mendes and editor Walter Murch. Eleven deleted scenes that can also be accompanied by the same commentary, as Swoff’s Fantasies. There is also a 16-minute of footage from the film where they interview the soldiers that also have a commentary for the audience to enjoy. ***

Jarhead is a terrific war film that allows the audience to enter the personal experience of the Gulf War on Swofford. It offers an intriguing perspective, yet a familiar viewpoint compared to other war films. Despite its similarity to other war films, it still offers a much worth viewing. It is definitely one of the films the audience should see this year, as it continues to display some of the aftermath of war. ***