November 07, 2005
Jarhead
from - Buck
I went to see “Jarhead” on Saturday night.
It was the fact that Sam Mendes directed it that made me curious. I loved American Beauty and I figured what the hell. Maybe he can do a good military flick.
To say that I loved it would be an understatement. The acting was incredible. The cinematography was jaw dropping and the story was everything I expected.
My wife said it was probably the single worst movie she has ever seen. You can chalk that up to constant profanity and about 30 seconds of sex scenes. (My wife is not used to 30 seconds of sex. To her that would be a marathon)
We went to see it with my youngest daughter (she’s 18) and her boyfriend (he is 22) Neither one of them liked it very much because they were expecting a war movie but hell, Gulf War One was not a war was it? Did anybody ever shoot back at us? We had over 500,000 soldiers on the ground and less than 150 were killed in action. Let’s face it. There just wasn’t that much action. When folks think "war movie" they still think of Germans and Japanese and truly competitive enemies dressed in obvious uniforms and representing obvious evil.
It just ain't like that anymore.
I have read some reviews that make the movie sound like it is truly lousy. I am glad my wife does not have much influence on who sees what in this country or Sam Mendes would be deported or executed.
I made the comment on another board earlier that wives and children should not go see it because I did not think they would like it. I had a female military person come back and quickly let me know that females served too and she was well acquainted with life in the military. I wished her well and asked that she simply report back to me after she has seen the movie.
I recommend the movie with trepidation. Even though I loved it I can see how it could be very offensive to some but that is what an “R” rating is for isn’t it? I noticed a few folks in there that had brought their children of middle school age to watch it. They must have been expecting “Saving Private Ryan” and what they got was eye opening for the entire family. If Mama wanted her son to grow up to be Johnny Soldier she is having second thoughts right now.
Go see “Jarhead” and familiarize yourself with the actions of God’s Army on Earth.
Posted by Buck at November 7, 2005 05:36 PM
I loved your take on the movie, I am currently halfway through the paperback at the time of this writing. I am also looking forward to the sequel due out in April in 2007 titled "I'm a Jarhead Too!" Later bro!
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Posted by Bare Essentials on November 7, 2005 07:19 PM Link to comment |
A fellow I worked with was at the dump at Khamisiyah and exposed to the sarin when we blew it up.
A Nurse I know prepared for Casualties at the Detroit VA by having the Nurses view slides of tramautic injuries to harden them for what they expected to see. The estimates were large (much larger than what we've incurred this time) and as you thankfully note they turned very small.
But if you were exposed to sarin and contemplating a family as my friend was, you still suffered.
Bush's first Sec VA deserves a lot of credit I think for undertaking studies that looked for reasons other than stress which was how Clinton's VA dodged this issue (again I think it was Dodge; Sciences reaction to what it doesn't understand these days is "stress").
Winkenwerder, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, is doing a better job of managing health affairs of returning troops... better than ever before. Here is the lastest press release with him on DoD does things now.
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Posted by Bill Baar on November 8, 2005 08:50 AM Link to comment |
PS War movies always seem phoney to me. I doubt I'll see this one.
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Posted by Bill Baar on November 8, 2005 08:51 AM Link to comment |
I have every intention of reading the book. I think it will be the first time I have ever seen the movie and then read the book.
I wish you would change your mind Bill. This is not really a "war" movie. I'll let you decide whether or not you need to see it alone.
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Posted by Buck on November 8, 2005 09:03 AM Link to comment |
