Soldado anónimo

Just saw an advanced screening of this tonight. While it isn't the film that has been so brilliantly advertised, it's a very solid film. It feels a lot like "Full Metal Jacket" early on, but with more humor. Then, it becomes an entirely new animal. More of a psychological study. I would actually call this the "Blair Witch Project" of war films in that you (and the characters) know the Boogeyman's "out there," you're just waiting for him to strike. And the longer you wait, the more stir-crazy you become within your own mind.

The acting is superb and the cinematography is stellar. It's an anti-war film without being distinctly liberal about it. It's a true story, and for the most part, Mendes tells it like it is. So, you can make your own judgment about it. But based off what you see, and all that happens, you have no choice but see the absurdity, not only in war, but perhaps in some of the USMC's tactics as well. It's heartbreaking to see what an experience like this can do to young men.

If you're looking for action, this is not the film you're looking for. No heroism, judgments, insight, or hope. Just the documentation and reflection of build up, the destruction of lives, psychological torment, boredom, camaraderie, and...waiting.

I was reluctant to see this movie. As a veteran of Desert Shield/Storm, I spent my first 90 days in-theater in the Weapons Co of A Swofford's Battalion. I later was moved to the 1st Bn of 7th Marines, but having been in the same unit for some of the same time I felt I could offer readers a unique perspective on the film's accuracy.

From a purely aesthetic perspective I thought the film was well done. The acting was very good, and the script was well written, witty, and accurate. The actors were well suited to their roles. My personal preference for a good plot would have been disappointed were it not for my personal interest in the film. In my opinion this film is an outstanding dramatic-documentary, so adjust your expectations accordingly. If you are expecting a driving plot line and all the accompanying dramatic tension, then I think you will be disappointed (as many whose comments I heard exiting the theater certainly were). But if you think of it as a chance to take a glimpse into a point in history, and see it as some of those who lived it did, then I think you will be impressed.

Many people may think that the obscenity of some of the interactions was overdone for effect. But whatever anyone's personal judgment of that behavior, that is the closest portrayal of Marines (or soldiers) being themselves I have yet seen on screen. Marines are vulgar. They do watch porn. They do fight among themselves. They do both hate, and love, the Marine Corps. There is an omni-present anti-war conspiracy theorist. The do say ridiculous things. There are some who are over the line. The reality of the Marine Infantry is that things happen there every day that are well beyond conventional sensibility, and which strain credibility to the average civilian. It's all true. I love the Marine Corps and I am still serving - I don't have an axe to grind. It just happens to be true.

Are there parts of the film that I find incredible? Yes. But they are not the essential things. There is a scene, it's even in the trailer, in which everyone is firing their weapon into the air. I wasn't there, but I can't fathom a breach of discipline on that scale. I can't say it's impossible, but I am doubtful. But whether it's true or not is not important. At its essence this is a film about Marines, how they adjusted to the Marine Corps, each other, and a war. If there are a few incredible details, then we can just be grateful that Hollywood didn't impose a car-chase on us.

This is a film about Marines. At that time, there were very few who turned down scholarships to Ivy League schools to come in. We were from strange backgrounds. We were obscene. We did want to get our kills. Many of us were frustrated that our war was only 100 hrs long. We knew we were filling the footsteps of giants - the Marines of Iwo, The Chosin, Belleau Wood - and I think we all wanted a chance to earn a place next to those men. In our wild, adrenalized youth, those aspirations just took the crude form of looking for a kill. Or at least that's how I've put it in perspective 15 years later.

If you go and see this film, try to recall yourself at 18 (as I was). Suspend your judgment of the obscenity and vulgarity until you're sure you would've done it differently. I can't speak for Swofford, but I am still incredibly proud of my service there. The insanity of this film reminds me why: because it is characteristic of the immense hardship that our youth bears on behalf of the rest. Do the characters look stressed? It's not hyperbole. We were 18 and we thought we were going to die over there. Still, at H-Hour, everyone marched North. In my opinion, you better fill some big shoes before you judge that.

So don't go into this film champing at the bit to pigeon-hole it as "Anti" or "Pro" war, with all the pre-fab rhetoric that comes with such a judgment. You have an opportunity here to look back into our little moment in history. Swofford has invited you into our memories. They are not Right, and they are not Left, they are just our story as Swofford lived it. If that kind of thing interests you, then go and see this movie.

At last - a movie that simply shows it like it is... No "Rambo" superhero-idiotic-nonsense; no overdone, melancholy, attempt at cinematic artistry at the cost of authenticity - such as is found in "Platoon", "FMJ", "Apocalipse Now" and "Deerhunter" - to name a few overrated war movies.

Finally a movie which captures the FEEL of being a Marine in the eighties... the sights, the sounds, the events - all brought back vivid memories. As the scenes unfolded, I found myself thinking "... I remember when that happened..." over and over, because my service somewhat paralleled Swofford's own, and I was aware of - if not a witness to - certain events that took place. A movie which portrays the Marine grunt for what he is... certainly no angel, but the absolute backbone of American military toughness. The barracks and field life portrayed in this movie is perhaps the most accurate portrait Hollywood has produced.

With only a few realtively minor technical inaccuracies, this is a movie whose full richness can probably only be experienced by those who were in the Corps at that time. And for that degree of accuracy, I am grateful to the author and those who produced the film. Too often producers and directors overlook the details that make a military film credible to veterans - such as the details of the uniform, the sounds and function of weapons, the behavior of the characters. Not so in "Jarhead". And the dialogue was right on.

Having read several of the other comments, it is clear to me that there are events depicted in the movie which may not be clearly understood or properly contextualized by someone who has not served in the Marine Corps infantry. Do not let that stop you from seeing the film - it is an excellent view into a world most people will never see. I left the theater feeling proud of my service, and although I miss the daily life of an active duty Marine, "Jarhead" left me feeling strangely happy to be able to look back on it - and to sleep in my own home, my own bed, tonight. Yet, for many Marine veterans, the hope remains in the back of our minds that the phone will ring tomorrow with an opportunity to go back and lead men once again - and yes, for those who might wonder, even in Iraq or anywhere else - as the line in the move so eloquently put it "Forget the politics. We're here now." Such is the fidelity of a rough-hewn few who are ready to fight when called upon. Grunts really don't expect most people to love us or understand us, but we hope there are some folks out there who might appreciate the fact that we are there. I think the movie captures that notion commendably.

In 1989, Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) is getting trained in a U. S. Marine Corps boot camp by the choleric, hard-boiled Drill Instructor Fitch (Scott MacDonald). After finishing boot camp, "Swoff" is dispatched to Camp Pendleton. Anthony Swofford talks us through his Marine training and service in 1991 Gulf War, is also about an institutionalised man in existential meldown. Anthony is approached by Staff Sergeant Sykes (Jamie Foxx), a Marine "lifer" who invites Swofford to his Scout Sniper course. He is selected to be trained as a sniper and paired with his roommate Troy (Peter Sarsgaard), who becomes Swofford's spotter. Every man fights his own war !. Welcome To The Suck !

This is the story of a 20-year-old boy in the war of Iraq, a life that has little to do with what the newspapers and television offered. It's not often that a film captures exactly what it must have been like for a person to live through the Gulf War as a soldier, but Jarhead partially succeeds. The focus is on a youth who yearns to do what's expected -Are we ever going to get kill anyone ?. The movie's strong suit is vagueness, presenting combat as a semi-surreal state of ignorant expectation and dislocated experience. These warriors loll in the desert awaiting action or attempting to make sense of its consequences. Apart from a few caustic asides about oil and censorship there's barely a glance at life outside the barracks let alone any contemporary resonance.

It is contemporary war seen from the surface with the images of oil wells burning in the night, like comets fallen from the sky, there were recruits laughing and reveling, and full of enthusiasm, and at the same time frightened by the idea that the battle could surprise them behind the next dune or hill. However, the infernal situation in which they live is compensated with their eternal loyalties, camaraderie that nothing could break, unlikely friendships, creating a brotherhood of 'Jarheads' who have sworn eternal fidelity. A gripping and powerful story packed with hard-hitting experiences , drama comedy and many swearings and bad language.

Well starred by Jake Gyllenhaal who began his film career with ¨City Slickers¨ by Ron Underwood. After that, he made ¨Donnie Darko¨, ¨Bubble Boy¨, the drama ¨Moonlight mile¨, a disaster film: ¨The day after tomorrow¨and the interesting thriller ¨Zodiac¨. Achieving his greatest success with the highly awarded ¨Brokeback Mountain¨for which he obtained an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. He's well accompanied by a good cast such as: Peter Sarsgaard, Scott MacDonald, Jamie Foxx, Lucas Black, Kevin Foster, Brian Geraghty, Dennis Haybert and Chris Cooper.

This wartime picture was well directed by Samuel Alexander Mendes , though with no too much originaly. Sam Mendes was born in the United Kingdom as part of his family of Portuguese descent. In 1996 he filmed "Company" for television, a musical by Stephen Sondheim. Thanks to his admiration for his adaptation of ¨Cabaret¨ music. Which won several Tony Awards, Spielberg gave him the opportunity to begin a film career when DreamWorks produced American Beauty in 1999, winner of the Oscar for best picture and best director. Sam Mendes is a good director who has made some successful films played by important actors , such as : Jarhead , American Beauty , Revolutionary road , this Road to perdition and two Bond movies : Skyfall and Spectre . Rating: 6.5/10 . Above average. Well worth watching . Essential and indispensable watching for Jake Gyllenhaal fans.

The saga Jarhead is made up of: ¨Jarhead¨ (2005) by Sam Mendes with Jake Gyllenhaal, Scott MacDonald, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, Lucas Black. ¨Jarhead: Field of fire¨(2014) by Don Michael Paul with Cole Hauser, Stephen Lang, Bokeem Woodbine, Esai Morales , Jesse Garcia, Jason Wong, Josh Kelly.¨Jarhead: The siege¨ (2016) by William Kaufman with Scott Adkins, Charlie Weber, Dante Basco , Romeo Miller, Erik Valdez, Sasha Jackson, Dennis Haysbert. ¨Jarhead: Law of Return¨ (2019) with Devon Sawa, Amaury Norlasco, Amos Taman, Nicholas Aaron, Robert Patrick .

The old war movies are so simple. Our heroes are eventually going to meet that adversary and finish the issue. This is a film about the boredom, the alienation, the disconnectedness that takes place in wartime. The men in this film are hung out to dry in the desert. Remember the first gulf war was fought mostly with high tech weapons and bombing runs. Of course, there were ground casualties and close fighting in some places, but this film is more about the tension that develops when those with their fingers on the triggers are made to stand down. I think the most gripping part of the film is when the oil fields are burning a and sludgy rain of oil ash and black particles rain from the sky. These guys suffocate on this. It's like a plague from the Bible. All they can do is trudge through it. There is much more to this film, but the bottom line is what the heck is the enemy and what do we poor soldiers have to do to confront it? The answer in this case is to wait and see.