Probably the best film portrayal of the Vietnam War thus far. The boot camp portion was perfect and the later part about the Tet offensive in the Northern portion of South Vietnam was pretty good. The bit where the door gunner shoots random civilians was too stereotypical of non-vets opinions of our soldiers in that War. Could have happened? Yes. Happened that casually? No. Would have more likely occured during a heat of battle moment unlike the way it was portrayed in the film.

I have to give the movie some credit because it actually mirrored experiences I went through at Paris Island and Nam,anybody out there remember the hot-locker.Full Metal Jacket can be credited with letting part of the secrets out the real story is yet to be told,after all it was only a movie.Lets-Git-Some!

Great movie, but the language was overkill. I am sure that is pretty close to how a gunnery would talk though, Aye numbah?

very funy

very good movie for action

A definite 5, but bowwow makes a point- not quite as good after the Parris Island Part (which was actually filmed at MCRD San Diego).

Interesting movie. Explains a lot about the U.S. military success in Vietnam. Solid performances, great direction, good soundtrack.

Great movie. I really felt bad for "Gomer Pile". This movie warms the heart. The second half of the film provides some good battle footage and more nerve-racking drama. I'm not a drama guy myself, but some dramas are so good, you can't help but get sucked in. I couldn't quite give this film 5 stars, but I can give it 4 and a half.

The basic training part hits too close to home (sans the suicide part). Visions of Drill Sergeants dancing in my head. Great movie.

Great, great Vietnam War movie.

It had many lasting impressions on me. From the basic training shock and R. Lee Ermey's ultra-effective acting (really, it was probably an easier role for him then I would think, as he probably has a lot of real life experience in the suck), to Animal Mother and the other messed up soldiers the war had created (especially the unknown helicopter gunner, firing at civilians).

But the battle of Hue was so effective and depressing. The last scene where the soldiers are trying to figure out what to do with the half-dead young female sniper is telling. And the movie ending was fustrating, awkward and incomplete; just like the war it portrayed.

Great Kubrick film

Great movie,excellent acting and writing.IMO one of the best of it's genre.

As close to the way it was as I have seen put on film. Recommended for anyone that is thinking about joining a branch of the service.

Intriguing, especially when I think about the similarities and differences between the Marine boot camp and the Canadian military boot camp I went through. The boot camp scenes were the best part of the movie but seeing the microcosm of that unit moving through Hue City in what was one of the Marines defining moments made (please forgive the cliche) history come alive.

One of the best movies about Vietnam (aren't they all?) But this one is different because of the boot-camp segment, which, PB is correct in pointing out, is the BEST part of the movie. Great chararacter development during this segment. But then it does lose something after that. It seems most of the great war movies suffer from agonizing slowdowns at somepoint... but this one is different, it's very much like watching 2 seperate movies, one obviously better than the other. But still a classic! No one better than Kubrick.

R. Lee makes this a 5.

THIS IS THE MOVIE TO WATCH.R lee is the best drill instructer ever! HOO AH

this was a good movie very intense . i preferred the bootcamp part than i did after they left for war.

great movie. seen it many times.

best movie ever...sgt. hartman is my hero, Mother is the hottest guy, and this movie has so many great quotable lines

I have met R. Lee Ermy and he made that freaking movie. Outstanding! Now get off my obstacle!

What is your major malfunction? This movie kicked ass and took names like nobody's business.

Along with 'Dr. Strangelove', 'Full Metal Jacket' is Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece. Who can forget R. Lee Ermey's frightening portrayal of Sgt. Hartman and his bullying of Pvt. Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio)? This movie pulls you in, and despite the second half being a tad bit lesser than the first half in overall quality, it is still a very good movie.

Spookily realistic to USMC Boot Camp for that time. My father, a Vietnam Veteran, shook the entire time while watching it.

Kubrick did a good job on this one. The guy who played Gomer Pyle did a good job at depicting a character who was so helpless and so sad as well as lost. A very disturbing film though which does end on a sour note. I preffered when they were in bootcamp rather than the Vietnam scenes.

A powerful and stunning war movie. The first half is a must see and is a shocker. Vincent D'Onofrio and R. Lee Ermey are superb. The movie shows how war dehumanizes people and turns them into killing machines. D'Onofrio gives an absolutely mind blowing performance as Gomer Pyle.

Kubrick almost never misses, and hit his target again in this one. It's about how human beings are transformed into killers. Some learn the lesson a little TOO well, as we see at the end of the first half. The second half shows the results of the transformation. FMJ is a rich and powerful anti-war statement: it amuses me to no end that the right-wingers on here completely missed the point.

Superb film, did for the American military, what the film 'Scum' did of borstals. Quality!

Replace Matthew Modine with a competent actor and you have the perfect war movie.

YOU WILL NOT LAUGH / YOU WILL NOT CRY / YOU WILL LEARN BY THE NUMBERS / I WILL TEACH YOU

This was pretty intense. Full of carnage and gave me a new arsenal of insults.

One of the greatest war movies of all time.This is almost two movies in one.The second half after leaving bootcamp is good but not as great as the first half.Excellant soundtrak and score.This is much better than Platoon in my opinion.

Loved it. Have seen it 3 times and will see it another 3 times if given the chance.

R. Lee Ermy really makes this movie. After we loose him we loose the intencity of the picture. Only a real old school DI.could have pulled off this artfull way of degrading his recruits. And that is how he got the job. The first 45 min.of FMJ really is a Modern Art Masterpeice.

Read Kratz's comment on this. It hits the mark.

There's nothing sugar coated about this Stanley Kubrick classic. Boot camp was really that brutal. It's too bad that bleeding heart liberals and PC hungry officials don't mkae that the same today. Truly the most unforgettable movie character of all time - Lee Ermy as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman.

GIT SOME!

kubrik is insane! he's also a genius, I've loved every one of his movies including this one. insanly bad ass!

The first 45 minutes or so of this film are 45 minutes of the funniest stuff you will ever see. However the second half is overall farely boring. If ya want to get some laughs then rent this even to watch the first part alone. Some of the most imaginative language is used. This is definitely not for the kids with mucho galore amounts of profanity and plenty of violence.

First half of movie was a scream up until the DI was shot. The Vietnam half was just plain dumb. The best line of the 2nd half was the line by the helicopter gunner about how can you shoot women and children. You just dont lead them as much!

One of the best movies about the Viet Nam war, it was also a great look into what it it like to be A U.S. Marine and all the honour attached to it.

This is an excellent movie, until the boys go to Vietnam. I found the film to be a very realistic and exceptionally well made portrayal of boot camp. I especially enjoyed the relationships founded by the characters as well as the disintegration of one man. Unfortunately, the film becomes too dark in Vietnam. I understand the point Kubrick is making, and its intent. However, the movie becomes rather tedious, and ends without a true moral center (intended, but disturbing nonetheless). My father loves this film, and I believe I understand why with his generation's identification with Vietnam and all of the different emotions it evokes, but the film simply becomes too tedious after the last bootcamp scene.

Better then Platoon.

Another Kubrick masterpiece. R. Lee Ermey totally makes the film what it is by doing a fantastic performance as the drill instructor.

I do adore Stanley Kubrick films and its a shame he's no longer with us. I found this film very disturbing in places and then a bit lighthearted. It does make you think about the atrocities of war and it shows what happened in Vietnam. Vietnam films are always the most realistic as it was the first media war, the general public of America actually saw what happened, and the veterans protested. It was an absolutely disgusting war and a lot of young innocent men paid for it with their lives.

A brutally honest film about the Vietnam war, showing the tragedy and ugliness of the war. Also, touching on the emotional characters of the soldiers. Accurate to history and a dramatic account of the war.

This is a movie in two parts. The first, bootcamp, is ingenious. It is fresh, exciting, and painful to watch (because of the content). The second half, out at war, is just like every other war movie. It blends together with Platoon, Apocalyse Now, Saving Private Ryan, etc. Not bad, but not terribly memorable. Overall, a good movie though.

This is one crazy movie. It gives the viewer an inside look at what boot camp for the Marines is like. There are moments where your mind will be blown away by what has just happened. This movie never ceases to amaze.

This is the best movie about the Vietnam war to come out of Hollywood. Kubrick's meticulous analysis of military conditioning is a stark condemnation of the American ideologies that caused the Holocaust in Vietnam. Vincent D'Onofrio's chilling portrayal of a mentally disturbed soldier is reason enough to see this film.

One of the most wonderful works of film to ever exist. Kubrick's direction is as it's absolute finest throughout the film. This film is extremely inspiring and provoking to several ends. It is a torrent two hours spent watching this movie that will torment and distrub your psyche. When it's over, you will leave with such a renewed passion that it will frustrate you not knowing what to do with yourself and your newfound spirit.

This was an exciting, yet depressing view of Vietnam. I love this movie. One of Stanley Kubrick's best films.