“Full Metal Jacket” is a 1987 war film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel “The Short-Timers” by Gustav Hasford. The film is renowned for its powerful depiction of the Vietnam War and its impact on soldiers. Here’s an overview of the film:

Full Metal Jacket Overview

Title: Full Metal Jacket

Release Date: June 26, 1987

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Main Cast:

• Matthew Modine as Private/Sergeant J.T. “Joker” Davis
• Adam Baldwin as Sergeant “Animal Mother”
• Vincent D’Onofrio as Private Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence
• R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman
• Arliss Howard as Private/Sergeant Cowboy

Plot Summary

“Full Metal Jacket” is divided into two distinct parts:

1. Basic Training: The first part of the film focuses on a group of Marine recruits undergoing basic training at Parris Island under the brutal and unforgiving Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey). The story particularly centers on the experiences of Private Joker (Matthew Modine) and the mentally unstable Private Pyle (Vincent D’Onofrio).
2. Vietnam War: The second part follows Joker, now a combat correspondent for Stars and Stripes, as he experiences the horrors of the Vietnam War. Joker is reunited with some of his fellow recruits, including Cowboy (Arliss Howard), and they face the brutal realities of combat in the city of Huế during the Tet Offensive.

Trailer Highlights