Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95%RT Audience Score: 94%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
8 wins & 15 nominations total
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.
Full Metal Jacket is a war movie that will make you laugh, cry, and question your own sanity. Kubrick’s vision of the Vietnam War is both terrifying and hilarious, with moments of dark humor that will leave you gasping for air. The performances are top-notch, especially R. Lee Ermey’s unforgettable turn as the drill sergeant from hell. It’s a shame he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar, but at least we can all agree that he’s the real star of the show. If you’re looking for a war movie that’s both thought-provoking and entertaining, Full Metal Jacket is the one for you.
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., Natant Stanley Kubrick Productions,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Isle of Dogs, London, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1987
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 56m
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Language(s):English, Vietnamese
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 1, 1987 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 12, 2001
Genre(s)
War
Keyword(s)
starring Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, R Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Arliss Howard, directed by Stanley Kubrick, written by Gustav Hasford, Michael Herr, Stanley Kubrick, war, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Henry Sheehan, Stanley Kauffmann, Peter Travers, Desmond Ryan, Sheila Benson, Jay Boyar, Andrew Pollard, Allison Rose, R Lee Ermey, producer Stanley Kubrick, MPAA rating R, basic training, Vietnam War, Marine Corps, Battle of Hué, smart-aleck Private Davis, foul-mouthed drill sergeant, pudgy Private Lawrence, Private Eightball, Private Cowboy, intense, tightly constructed, darkly comic, effective, original themes, communicating, horrifying moments, young Americans, gladly assist, own damnation, self-pleasing cinematic exercise, genius, burden, insanity, terrifyingly normal, considerable achievement, Olympian standards, caught up, technical marvel, flawless, sharp script, nihilistic, weak storytelling, disjointed, randomly inserted voice-over, evocative imagery, compelling story, intense, dark
Worldwide gross: $46,357,676
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $123,739,525
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 920
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 13,493,950
US/Canada gross: $46,357,676
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $123,739,525
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 613
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,217,307
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $5,918,513
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,067
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $30,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $80,077,046
Production budget ranking: 523
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $43,121,489
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $540,990
ROI to date (est.): 0%
ROI ranking: 1,394
Adam Baldwin – Animal Mother
Vincent D’Onofrio – Private Gomer Pyle (Leonard Lawrence)
R. Lee Ermey – Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Drill Instructor
Dorian Harewood – Private Eightball
Arliss Howard – Private Cowboy
Director(s)
Stanley Kubrick
Writer(s)
Gustav Hasford, Gustav Hasford, Michael Herr, Stanley Kubrick
Producer(s)
Stanley Kubrick
Film Festivals
Venice
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
8 wins & 15 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (83) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (76) | Rotten (7)
The most horrifying moments of Full Metal Jacket are those in which the young Americans gladly assist in their own damnation.
May 9, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Henry Sheehan
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Full Metal Jacket seems further proof that Kubrick is still trapped in self-pleasing cinematic exercise.
November 6, 2017
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
[Kubrick’s] genius, and perhaps burden, is to see the insanity in us all and to make it seem so terrifyingly normal.
June 24, 2015
Peter Travers
People Magazine
TOP CRITIC
If his considerable achievement in this long- awaited film falls short of his Olympian standards, there is a reason that ought to give Kubrick some satisfaction. The world has caught up with Kubrick and what he has to say.
June 21, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
It may seem too spare, too clinical, its moments of war even too familiar for some. But, aiming for minds as well as hearts, Kubrick hits his target squarely.
June 21, 2013
Sheila Benson
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
What gives this story its power is not really its originality, but the relentlessness of Kubrick’s black-comic vision and the tightness of his focus.
June 21, 2013
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
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.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Andrew Pollard
Starburst
Kubrick had a way of making the audience become invested in the characters of his films and created some truly memorable ones.
September 22, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
It was a gross injustice that Ermey was not nominated for his tremendous performance.
September 8, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
A nicely contrasting soundtrack, intense action sequences, mesmerizing sets, excellent photography, and believable characters contribute to this poignant thriller.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Full Metal Jacket is a master study in indoctrination and fundamental identity shifts. Every moment of the film builds and builds on Kubrick’s ideas…
March 31, 2020
Ed Travis
Hollywood Jesus
We look to the director for some judgment, or even an indication of his opinion, as to whether his carnage artists are born or made; but we don’t get it.
April 9, 2019
Hilary Mantel
The Spectator…
Plot
A two-segment look at the effect of the military mindset and war itself on Vietnam era Marines. The first half follows a group of recruits in boot camp under the command of the punishing Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. The second half shows one of those recruits, Joker, covering the war as a correspondent for Stars and Stripes, focusing on the Tet offensive.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
R. Lee Ermey’s portrayal of the foul-mouthed drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket has become iconic.
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