Full Metal Jacket

A tough, unsparing portrait of Marines during the Vietnam War, Full Metal Jacket follows a group of recruits from the pitiless routine of boot camp to the chaos of urban combat in Hue. The film tracks Pvt. Joker, a pragmatic combat correspondent, as he watches training and combat reshape the men around him, from the bullied recruit who struggles under pressure to a loudmouthed, violent soldier who embraces the fighting. Scenes alternate between the claustrophobic grind of the barracks and the sudden, brutal encounters on the battlefield, showing how discipline, fear, and survival instincts alter identities and loyalties without resolving the larger moral questions.

Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the screenplay credits include Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford, and the story draws on Hasford's novel The Short-Timers. Released in 1987, the film carried Kubrick's precise visual style and a controlled, often clinical approach to violence.

The movie connected with audiences on release and has remained one of Kubrick's most discussed works, attracting steady ticket sales internationally and a strong home video life, which helped cement its place in late 20th century cinema.

Full Metal Jacket left a visible mark on pop culture, especially through R. Lee Ermey's portrayal of the drill instructor and several instantly recognizable lines, including the drill-sergeant routine that many people quote. Its boot camp scenes and the image of soldiers in urban combat have been referenced and parodied across films, television, and music, keeping the film present in discussions about war movies.

Critics generally praised the film's performances, particularly Matthew Modine, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Ermey, and its unflinching tone. Viewers rate it highly, with a vote average of 8.123 out of 10 from over 11,000 votes. Major themes include the dehumanizing effects of military training, the split between individual conscience and unit loyalty, and how wartime roles can harden or hollow out people, all conveyed with dark humor and stark visuals.