Full Metal Jacket

Actors:  Matthew Modine, Lee Ermey, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, Arliss Howard
Rating:  7 out of 10, I’ve seen this movie a countless number of times over the years in bits and pieces mostly.  Last night I sat down and watched it completely and was amazed once again by Kubrick.  He is so good at startlingly simple yet powerful characters.  This is really two movies with Ermey shouting his way into movie history as the drill sergeant who meets the fate so many thousands of recruits have fantasized about (only for the first four weeks of basic though).   The second half was supposed to be Vietnam but it was clearly shot in England.  I actually felt sorry for the poor dying palm trees that were obviously shuttled around to make it seem like the tropics.  That being said, this movie grabs you by the short and curlies and never let’s go.  Just a powerful movie about war and the price paid by the participants.     
MVP:  R Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman