A Review by Phil Calabro
2005, Universal Pictures, Dir. Sam Mendes - Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Tyler Sedustine, Jacob Vargas, Laz Alonso, Jocko Sims, Lucas Black, Brian Geraghty, Peter Gail, Jamie Martz, Evan Jones, Kareem J. Grimes
'Jarhead' has guts. Not in the macho man way, much like the Marines, but in its presentation. The one thing that worried me about the movie would be its political tilt. Not to say I'd have a distinct problem with it, but some movies are so pressured to have some sort of bias that it can throw off its whole groove. Sam Mendes has created an anti-war movie without letting the littlest liberal comment slip. Instead of preaching politics through a group of non-fictional soldiers (as the movie is based on the main character's actual memoirs of the Gulf War), Mendes puts together a minimalistic but powerful film that exhibits a laissez-faire attitude to combat, and a united tedium that the Marines are facing while protecting the oil fields. Our cast of immature combatants, in flaunting Kubrickian style, provides a trigger-happy state of alertness for their country, but tire after their opportunity never comes.
Anthony Swofford (Gyllenhaal) is a young third-generation Marine, or as he aptly describes himself, a "jarhead". He ends up becoming a scout sniper, teaming up with his mentor Troy (Saarsgard), a mentally unstable troop who also has a firm grasp of the concept of fighting wars. When President Bush declared war against the Iraqis after they invaded Kuwait in 1991, Swoff and his crew, headed by the god-fearing Sgt. Sykes (Foxx), head straight into Saudi Arabia to protect any oil fields that Saddam Hussein may cause damage to. Swoff and the gang are so trigger happy and ready to serve their country by - as they chant - "kicking some Iraqi ass", that they're willing to set their sights on anyone and anything. After hundreds of days pass by, and no threat comes towards them, the rifle fever reaches an all time high. The soldiers begin to wonder the point of them being in the Middle East in the first place - are they ever going to help anyone? Kill anyone? Protect their own nation's reputation? Or just sit around watching oil fields get blown up?
There's a distinct nihilism coursing through the blood of all the characters, whether how they are portrayed. Gyllenhaal gives a fine performance as the naive Swofford, whose goal to polish the American way by joining the forces only changed his entire viewpoint on war. Our soldiers are some of the most dignified people in the country, yet Mendes shows a group of soldiers so determined to accomplish something but return with no valor at all. The underlying concept of 'war is useless' is strong here, and the act of showing a lack of combat presses the film onward. Gyllenhaal falls into a cabin fever, not from the heat of the Saudi deserts, but a lack of actual work. Peter Sarsgaard once again pulls off a magnificent role, as he plays the veteran to the duty, and has already realized that war is pointless already. But he remains on the force, as he's just as trigger-happy as the rest of them, and the prospective look at the Gulf War still intrigues him. Jamie Foxx gives a hilarious performance as Sgt. Sykes, who isn't as intense as Sgt. Hartman, but has his dedication to his rank that he promises to get something accomplished.
With criticism surrounding the recent and ongoing Iraqi War, people continue to argue: "this war was useless", "nothing has gotten done", and "we're only in it for the oil". Whether you agree with them or not, 'Jarhead' gives these brash statements a new twist. The film reminded me of the 1991 Italian film 'Mediterraneo', where 7 Italian soldiers are sent and stranded on a Greek island inhabited by nothing but priests and townsfolk. As they remain on the island for over three years - even after the war is finished - they learn the sheer insignificance of their duty. They were surrounded by people who enjoyed their company, polarizing the definitions of 'infidels' and 'innocents'. Swofford quotes in the movie, "Every war is different, every war is the same." If that isn't wartime nihilism, I don't know what is.
'Jarhead' is developed and distinguishable in its class. There are no prostitutes, there are no ramshackle locales to invade, but miles and miles of desert. You get lost and worried as an audience member, wondering why these soldiers are slaving away for nothing. Much like 'Full Metal Jacket', these soldiers slowly begin to disintegrate during their duty. As 'Break on Through' by the Doors blasts through the airs, Swofford comments, "That's Vietnam music... can't we get our own music?" Some things never change.
