The Overlooked Greatness of 'Jarhead'

Based on Anthony Swofford's novel, 'Jarhead' shares Swofford's life as a marine during the Gulf War. Unlike war movies prior to it, 'Jarhead' displays the tragedy of war with an absence of unnecessary combat or brutality. Instead, the main plot takes primarily in a vast desert in Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield. The tone is set up as a typical war film only to be subverted completely. Incorrectly labeled as a middle eastern update of 'Full Metal Jacket,' 'Jarhead' shares a unique perspective on the mental weight of war.

Bred to be US killing machines, Marines in 'Jarhead' are pushed to their absolute mental limits as the ongoing war is seemingly always close, yet extremely far away. The marines themselves are deprived of any semblance of militaristic actions and are left to dread over the looming war in front of them. Each marine breakdowns from PTSD, inferably from their broken homes and difficult upbringings, losing a sense of themselves and the reality around them. This is shown most through Swofford, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, as he breaks down more then once perseverating over the potential loss of his girlfriend and the oncoming threat of the war.

Swofford's character is directly contrasted by Staff Sgt. Sykes, Jamie Foxx, who has built is entire life around the war. Someone who has spent so much time in the shit that it becomes all he knows. Much like in 'The Hurt Locker,' the simplicity of normal, everyday life becomes overwhelming for the people who have spent time in war. When Desert Shield becomes Desert Storm the soldiers are pulled into a sense of purpose only to realize the absence of combat still exists. As individuals trained to be killers and sent to "kick Iraqi ass," the denial of violence is constantly evident and inevitably ends as the soldiers are sent back to the common world as their purpose has been fulfilled.

The true toll of war, without combat, is why this an overlooked masterpiece. Although done before, the themes in 'Jarhead' feel intense and gripping as the viewer witnesses the collapse of the marines mentally. If antiwar films appeal to anyone than I highly recommend to giving this movie a watch. It adds a new layer to the genre with excellent acting and above and beyond cinematography by Rodger Deakins.