I always find it difficult to start writing about movies I love the most. About movies that left a lasting impression on me and that also have stood the test of time. Additionally, I put off writing about movies because I think you would check them out without my direct recommendation. However, in the last few years, I changed my mind and decided to directly recommend them to you all. Most people describe Jarhead as a superb war drama based on actual events. While I don’t disagree with that, I think this description is far too simplistic for this multilayered masterpiece.
Jarhead is an authentic, brutally honest, and intensely gripping story about soldiers, the army, the US, and the world. It focuses on the experiences of a US Marine during and shortly before the Gulf War in Iraq. You know the one with Saddam Hussein, burning oil fields, and all the rest of the fun stuff. This whole movie is a fucking vibe and I just can’t put into words how engaging it is. I first saw it in my early twenties and ever since then, I’ve been watching it every couple of years. It’s interesting to note that this is also one of the rare movies I “got” the first time I saw it.
Although I did think that the “pink mist” means you’re in the zone, you’re ready to take that perfect shot. The real meaning of the pink mist is the bloody aftermath of a large caliber bullet going through some poor guy’s head or body. Speaking of impactful visuals, Jarhead has plenty of them. The cinematography was just perfect along with camerawork. There won’t be any of that shaky handheld camera nonsense here. Moreover, some of the scenes are so fucking iconic that you’ll remember them for the rest of your life.
They’re so memorable because they really happened and through their strange but true nature we can examine not just the war and the military but also the nature of our own lives. Yes, Jarhead is that fucking thought-provoking. However, it’s also exceedingly easy to watch. Your job is just to lie back, if you can, and witness this gem with your own eyes and ears. The movie is based on a 2003 memoir of the same name written by our protagonist Anthony Swofford. So yeah, Swoff is real, and everything you’re about to see really happened.
While Jarhead follows his lifepath there’s no classic story here with twists and turns like in other war movies. There are no overarching narratives or satisfying conclusions. I know that this might put off some people but I found it to be quite refreshing. Moreover, there are no irritating or preachy messages about the military, PTSD, wars, or anything else. I mean, they’re there if you’re willing to notice them but the movie is not going to beat you over the head with them. It’s just that fucking good. As such, Jarhead is somewhat comparable to Apocalypse Now.
We’ll even watch a couple of minutes of it at some point in the movie. Walter Murch was the editor of both of these movies which are 26 years apart. I also have to mention Full Metal Jacket although that’s a much more straightforward and gloomier movie. Jarhead has this almost positive and inquisitive note about itself. It helps it to overcome the difficulty of the subjects it is exploring. There will even be a couple of scenes that feel like they belong in a comedy. These “skits” are urban legends and were often told over and over again to guys who had just joined the army.
The thread that ties all of this is not just our protagonist but also the friendships he develops while in the army. And I guess that’s Jarhead’s most prominent feature. Jake Gyllenhaal gave another one of his stellar performances along with Peter Sarsgaard. The two of them are actually good friends in real life and Peter is currently married to Jake’s sister Maggie.
Jamie Foxx was just as good along with the rest of the cast. Which is quite impressive since a hefty portion of the dialogue has been improvised. When it comes the action, there will be some but not a lot. This doesn’t mean the movie is boring, it just means it’s engaging in a different way. I also don’t want you to think this is a minimalist war drama focusing on just a handful of characters.
We will see the Iraq invasion in its full scale with hundreds of extras and dozens of other airplanes, vehicles, and tanks. This part reminded me of a nineties classic featuring a similar desert setting, soldiers, and a cheeky vibe, Three Kings. Sam Mendes, the director of Jarhead would go on to make not one but two James Bond movies (Spectre and Skyfall).
However, he’s probably best known as the guy behind another multilayered masterpiece, American Beauty. More recently, he has made another war movie 1917 which I highly recommend you check out. Finally, Jarhead is a definition of a subversive movie. Well-crafted and appealing, it will reach a wide audience and show them what the truth is.
Director: Sam Mendes
Writers: William Broyles Jr., Anthony Swofford
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, Dendrie Taylor, Lucas Black, Jacob Vargas
Fun Facts: A lot of footage here is pure CGI including the burning oil wells, burn pits and a couple of additional scenes like the one in the desert. While the desert location were barren when the scouting took place by the time the production was in full swing there was a lot of foliage in this wasteland that had to be digitally removed.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418763/
