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Full Metal Jacket

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Full Metal Jacket

R

Released Jun 1, 1987

1h 56m

War

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

87 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Stanley Kubrick's take on the Vietnam War follows smart-aleck Private Davis (Matthew Modine), quickly christened "Joker" by his foul-mouthed drill sergeant (R. Lee Ermey), and pudgy Private Lawrence (Vincent D'Onofrio), nicknamed "Gomer Pyle," as they endure the rigors of basic training. Though Pyle takes a frightening detour, Joker graduates to the Marine Corps and is sent to Vietnam as a journalist, covering -- and eventually participating in -- the bloody Battle of Hué.

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Critics Consensus

Intense, tightly constructed, and darkly comic at times, Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket may not boast the most original of themes, but it is exceedingly effective at communicating them.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

What happened to the Kubrick who used to slip in sly, subtle jokes and little editing tricks? This may be his worst movie.

Sep 13, 2023

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Jay Scott

Globe and Mail

Full Metal Jacket is violent, caustic, ironic, and cold, an amoral object formed from a camera gliding majestically across slow-motion carnage while refusing to blink an eye or shed a tear.

Dec 7, 2022

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Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Herald Examiner

Kubrick is trying to make a movie about madness and chaos, but he won't give in to the chaos.

Aug 9, 2022

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Branyan Towe

Loud and Clear Reviews

As Private Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence, D’Onofrio encapsulates the impact that military brainwashing can have on soldiers and their mental health in a way that is better than expected

Rated: 4/5

Jul 29, 2024

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Andrew Pollard

Starburst

A hard-hitting movie laced with moments of dark humour and brimming with social commentary, Full Metal Jacket is viewed as one of the all-time great war movie.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 24, 2020

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Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Kubrick had a way of making the audience become invested in the characters of his films and created some truly memorable ones.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 22, 2020

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Stephen C

1 hour and 56 minutes based on a real war.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

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Brady H

The first 30 minutes 9/10 the rest 3/10 dull, dry, boring the protagonist is an empty shell of a man and everyone else in it is a stupid moron

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

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Faiz D

It started out great.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

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Shaun R

I would give this an extra star, however, War films do lose my interest slightly when they are overlong and drag on.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

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Chris H

A film in two halves and the first half, although exploring a very familiar theme, is the better. There, I've said it. The central Joker character is little more than a frippery, but R Lee Ermey's drill instructor is very believable (and vile). Other characters come and go, but Vincent D'Onofrio's Leonard is spellbinding. Two stars for him alone.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/25

Full Review

Frans B

R Lee Ermey is the absolute impersonation of a real period correct drill sergeant in the most convincing portrayal you're likely to see in a movie, perhaps because he really was a real marine drill sergeant? Portrays the vision Kubrick had perfectly. Twisted and irrational as it should be, great stuff

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/19/25

Full Review

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Stanley Kubrick

Director

Matthew Modine

Private Joker (Private

Adam Baldwin

Animal Mother

Vincent D'Onofrio

Private Gomer Pyle (Leonard Lawrence)

R. Lee Ermey

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Drill Instructor

Dorian Harewood

Private Eightball

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Synopsis

Stanley Kubrick's take on the Vietnam War follows smart-aleck Private Davis (Matthew Modine), quickly christened "Joker" by his foul-mouthed drill sergeant (R. Lee Ermey), and pudgy Private Lawrence (Vincent D'Onofrio), nicknamed "Gomer Pyle," as they endure the rigors of basic training. Though Pyle takes a frightening detour, Joker graduates to the Marine Corps and is sent to Vietnam as a journalist, covering -- and eventually participating in -- the bloody Battle of Hué.

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Producer: Stanley Kubrick
Screenwriter: Gustav Hasford, Gustav Hasford, Michael Herr, Stanley Kubrick
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Natant, Warner Brothers
Rating: R
Genre: War, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 1, 1987, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $42.9M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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