Jarhead - The Movie

[Dumos]

I saw the movie last week. The portrayal of the Marines are not too far off. As an Army Officer I have seen my fair share of comaraderie such as that portrayed in the movie. I know quite a few Marines (my twin brother) who say a lot of the Marines are like that.
On a different note, I agree with BigJon about the character flaws and such besides Jamie Fox but you have to also remember the majority of the ages of the platoon are 18-20 and right out of high school. All Soldiers and Marines are portrayed as steely eyed killers but you have to remember most of them are young and experiencing more then the average person ever will. Talk about sensory overload. Jamie Fox's character had been in the miltary over ten years and had seen combat before.
Sorry about going out to left field. The movie is funnier then hell for the first hour and then pretty boring after that. Well worth the matinee price at the theaters.

Tom

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[LeatherneckOIF2]

The author of the book is known in Marine circles as a "dirtbag".

The kind of guy that makes it through, but is a menace, not a team player and a whiny ******.

They're referred to as shitbirds, and there's plenty of them that make it through...

I find it funny that everybody that's never been in my Corps has such a big problem with this movie, and those of us who know realize that this story rings true in a lot of ways.

You can call Swoff whatever you'd like, and Marines will have our names for him too. But in the long run, he stepped up to the plate and became a Marine and went to fight for his country when he was called. He is my brother, whether I like him or not and I will defend him and his right to tell his story, whether the American public likes it or not.
A lot of Marines call him a whiny *****, which I agree with. But I challenge you to find a Marine who doesn't know a Marine just like Swoff...
When it gets tough, those whiny ***** Marines do what needs to be done, I've seen it myself.

[Zach S]

I remember watching the trailer and thinking it would be a good flick. Even planned on going to see it, something I rarely do (rarely isnt the word for it, the last time I went to a theater was to see Gladiator).

Then I started hearing reviews such as this one online.

I'll wait for the DVD. I'll rent it.

[d2thomas]

As far as Gunner's Palace, that was a joke too. Did you happen to actually watch their tactics when clearing rooms?! I am amazed any of them are still alive...

I believe those young men in Gunners were in the army, not the marine corps - is that correct? No disrespect meant, but could your distaste for Gunners Palace stem from the natural rivalry between branches of armed service? Everyone knows that you can change alot of the story with the power of editing alone - that still doen't change the fact that this was actual footage taken from actual men fighting on the ground. On this principle alone, it is more accurate than some directors screenplay of a book.

[LeatherneckOIF2]

First off, the word Marine, when used in referring to a U.S. Marine or my Marine Corps is always capitalized, and if you genuinely didn't know that, then now you do. If you did, that's disrespect right there...

Secondly, have you seen Gunner's Palace? Do you know what MOUT tactics are being taught today?
If your answer is no to either, then you're not in a position to have an informed opinion on the subject.

If your answer is yes to both, then I think you'll agree that they made many mistakes and deviated for S.O.P., as taught in MOUT training many times, so many times that I feel they were in real danger if they did come under enemy fire (which thank God they didn't, at least in the situations where I feel they were not performing the tactics they should've been taught).

I was in charge of many Soldiers during my 8 month tour, and I worked closely with National Guard, Army Reserve and regular Army. They are fine men and women and I have a great respect for each and every one of them, though they did sometimes take more effort to motivate than my Marines did, and more than I thought they ought to. But properly motivated, I'd fight alongside any Soldier I've ever met, and I'm sure they'd say the same of Marines.

And you're right, it is more accurate but to say that the way the Soldiers in Gunner's Palace did things is the way units all over Iraq are doing things is incorrect. It's a snapshot of a much bigger picture, and Swoff's story is his small snapshot of the Corps he experienced.

I still haven't seen Jarhead BTW, just read the book a couple times...

[d2thomas]

First off, the word Marine, when used in referring to a U.S. Marine or my Marine Corps is always capitalized, and if you genuinely didn't know that, then now you do. If you did, that's disrespect right there...

Secondly, have you seen Gunner's Palace? Do you know what MOUT tactics are being taught today?
If your answer is no to either, then you're not in a position to have an informed opinion on the subject.

If your answer is yes to both, then I think you'll agree that they made many mistakes and deviated for S.O.P., as taught in MOUT training many times, so many times that I feel they were in real danger if they did come under enemy fire (which thank God they didn't, at least in the situations where I feel they were not performing the tactics they should've been taught).

I was in charge of many Soldiers during my 8 month tour, and I worked closely with National Guard, Army Reserve and regular Army. They are fine men and women and I have a great respect for each and every one of them, though they did sometimes take more effort to motivate than my Marines did, and more than I thought they ought to. But properly motivated, I'd fight alongside any Soldier I've ever met, and I'm sure they'd say the same of Marines.

And you're right, it is more accurate but to say that the way the Soldiers in Gunner's Palace did things is the way units all over Iraq are doing things is incorrect. It's a snapshot of a much bigger picture, and Swoff's story is his small snapshot of the Corps he experienced.

I still haven't seen Jarhead BTW, just read the book a couple times...

Excuse me? I'm not sure if you get how things work around here. We are all a good group of people who respect each other AND each other opinions. Not everyone on here has military background or LEO background but we all share one thing in common, carry concealed. I HAVE seen Gunners Palace [which is the reason I brought it up in the first place, why would I recommend a film I haven't seen?] but if you to play that game, may I remind you that you havn't seen the movie Jarhead? Irregardless, you spent an exorbinate amount of time telling me what I should think [instead of allowing me to express an opinion I have a right to express] to, in the end, tell me I'm right. When I said no disrespect that is what I meant - you should think about that before you flame.

[P95Carry]

Stay cool folks

[gregarat]

He also said it was too long....

That's true. It wouldn't be, if its actually a good movie.

Leatherneck,
Don't bother seeing the movie. Its not much like the book at all.

[rstickle]

It's really amazing how much books seem to change between the page and the screen. That's why it's rare that I'll watch a movie after I've read the book!

I also have to admit, I don't think I've see a "war" movie in years. (Good old John Wayne!)

[maclean3]

I think JAMES BOND has returned.

[ExSoldier]

I think JAMES BOND has returned.

You may be right.

[Bud White]

Too bad i was hoping it would be good we havnt had a good war movie in a few years

[Bumper]

I think JAMES BOND has returned.

Nope, it isn't. I checked into it....

[Crucible]

I read the book, saw the movie and was in both the Corps and Desert Shield/Storm-doing many of the same things and seeing many of the same sights.

I found the movie an interesting, if fairly accurate account of the day-to-day relationships and comraderie (sometimes the distinct lack of) I experienced in the Corps....and liked it for that reason alone. (Bitching in the military is raised to an art form folks...and is completely normal. As a 21 year old Lance Corporal, I did my share too...and thought of even new ways to do so when I had to burn the sh*tters!) Funny as hell, maddening, dumbfounded, scary, honorable, dishonorable, humorous, shocking, motivating, hardcore, BS, cool as hell....all those feelings and more I can remember feeling myself.

There were some notable factual flaws I found in the movie that did vary from my experience:

-Swofferd's unit is shown to go through the breech starting the main ground attack in what seems like banker's hours: mid-morning on a bright and sunny day. I, not a grunt but serving in a FSSG capacity, went through the breech into Indian country at zero-dark-thirty. (Also in my case, with Army MLRS's shooting rockets over me as we drove through the breech turning the smoky night into a surreal temporary day with each rocket until it cleared the low lying oil fire smoke. This was the first war one could have thier own theme music too btw: I was listening to Metallica on my walkman until things got interesting).
-The movie shows oil fires starting after the ground war started, when in reality they started blowing them much earlier, and oil fire smoke was thick and far south long before the ground war started (near the border and actually in Kuwait proper, it sometimes it was so thick as to not be able to see 10 feet away at midday).
-They tried to portray a half-assed "highway of death" in the movie; I'm more than a bit sure the real one was no where near him or many of the Marine op areas (I had a vehicle, and saw alot of the area before, during and after...and never got close). There was lots of death to see for everyone regardless, and there was no need to falsify it to sell it in the movie...ahhh, Hollywood strikes again.

The DI portayed in the movie was done pretty well-he's no R. Lee Eermey (who could be?), but a more realistic compliation of many DI's in my memory-God bless 'em all.

As for much of the level of whining/falsehoods depicted by Swoffered in his book, well, he has to live with himself I reckon.

The movie is worth a matinee at least.

Chris

[soflasmg]

I find it funny that everybody that's never been in my Corps has such a big problem with this movie, and those of us who know realize that this story rings true in a lot of ways.

First of all as a Marine, you should know the FNG keeps his mouth shut.

Please remove the chip from your shoulder and put it away.

I am sure you will eventually find a topic you post on which you have no first hand experience and will not enjoy being condescended to.

You also have no idea of the bonafides of anyone else here, and you certainly will not see mine posted on the friggin internet, so consider that too.

That's one new guy to another.