Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Jarhead Blu-ray Movie Review

'Jarhead' looks and sound great on Blu-ray, but where are the supplements?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 21, 2008

Jarhead: noun. Slang for 'Marine.' Origin: from the resemblance to a jar of the regulation high and tight haircut. The Marine's head by implication, therefore, also a jar, an empty vessel.

The Gulf War, much like the Korean Conflict, is a war that Hollywood just might forget. Neither as grandiose and ripe for dramatic cinema as the Second World War, nor as violent and controversial as the Vietnam Conflict, Desert Storm was a war that was planned, waged, and won in lightning-quick fashion, with few Allied casualties and nearly unwavering support Stateside. Approaching twenty years since the Allied Coalition forcibly removed Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi army from tiny, oil-rich Kuwait to the south, only a handful of quality films depicting the war in some fashion have been released, among them the George Clooney/Mark Wahlberg/Ice Cube winner Three Kings, the lesser known yet terrific Bravo Two-Zero with Sean Bean, and the 2005 film Jarhead. Based on the book of the same name by Marine Corps Scout Sniper Anthony Swofford, Jarhead recounts the rather atypical yet nevertheless horrific wartime experiences of Desert Storm.

Shoot straight.

Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal, Zodiac), the son of a Vietnam Veteran, joins the Marines in 1989. Jarhead follows his progression from boot camp at Camp Pendleton through to the end of the 1991 Gulf War. At basic training, Swofford meets Staff Sergeant Sykes (Jamie Foxx, Miami Vice), who recruits Swofford to become a Scout Sniper. He is partnered with Troy (Peter Sarsgaard, Flightplan) and is ultimately deployed to the Middle East to combat Saddam Hussein's aggressive invasion of Kuwait. The boredom of waiting for the fighting to begin occupies the Marines as they itch to get into the fight yet begin to lament the Marine way of life. The film follows the brief war from the start of Operation Desert Storm through the cessation of hostilities, as Swofford's unit witnesses the most memorable images of the war.

Jarhead plays out as something of an updated version of Stanley Kubrick's brilliant Full Metal Jacket, yet Sam Mendes's (Revolutionary Road) film retains its own identity and attitude, with only the earliest segments of the film engendering that sense of dejá vu. The film follows young Anthony Swofford's progression as a Marine, beginning with basic training and following through to his wartime exploits, much as Full Metal Jacket tells the tale of Private Joker's observations of the Vietnam experience. Both characters, and therefore each film, take on a decidedly anti-war tone as the stories progress, and each character undergoes particular metamorphoses due to their wartime experiences, though each experiences war at both extremes, the incessant violence of Vietnam versus the relative calm yet nevertheless disturbing battlefields of the Middle East. Both films examine the sense of loss brought about by war, not only physical loss, depicted primarily in Full Metal Jacket due to the nature of that conflict, but in the mental and emotional sufferings the men must deal with as the action progresses. At once the men are angered, confused, and frustrated by "the suck" as the men call the amalgamation of Marine life, yet so steeped have they become in the Corps and so anxious are they to prove their worth as men and Marines on the battlefield that each primary character develops their own sort of emotional response to the frustrations of the experience, some positive, some negative and confused. One lashes out at a superior officer; another develops a relationship with a corpse (again recalling a scene from Full Metal Jacket); yet another wholly embraces the lifestyle, commenting on the unique experiences afforded by a career in the Corps. The mental and emotional despair of war versus the eagerness to participate in it is punctuated by a scene where Swofford laments the fact that he failed to fire off a single shot in anger during the abbreviated 100 hour war.

In fact, Jarhead often creates comparisons to Vietnam, making the connection unavoidable yet appropriate and powerful, particularly by film's end. Though completely different wars not only in era but in bloodshed, length, stateside support, and place in history, the film uses Vietnam as a foil of sorts to the Gulf War, showing that war is war, no matter the time, place, or severity, the experience devastating to man emotionally even if he leaves the battlefield physically unscathed. Moments before the Marines learn that they are to be deployed to the Middle East, they are seen not just watching, but actively participating in as an audience Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, cheering on their make-believe fellow Marines and their laying waste to a Vietnamese village, one of cinema's most enduring scenes set to Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. Later in the film, a VHS copy of Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter, the film that perhaps best demonstrates the loss of humanity brought about by wartime experiences, is used as a means of a wife informing her Marine husband that she has moved on in life and is now enjoying the company of another man. Still later, the Marines, covered in the oil of the burning fields and in the midst of a blackened desert, lament that Vietnam lives on as a chopper flies overhead blaring The Doors's Break on Through (to the Other Side), wishing instead to hear music from their own generation, making the Gulf War its own entity, fought in its own time. As the film draws to an end, one of the final scenes, arguably the best in the film and one of the better in War film history, ties together the Vietnam comparison compassionately and appropriately. The film depicts a Vietnam veteran boarding a bus of returning Gulf War soldiers, and he proceeds to congratulate them on winning the war cleanly. He asks to be seated with them, effectively erasing the specter of Vietnam for him personally and symbolically for the country as a whole.

As a film, Jarhead is well made. Sam Mendes embraces the new approach to war filmmaking, creating a bright, grainy, harsh-looking film that drives home the themes very well. The film is also well cast. Lead actor Jake Gyllenhaal turns in a solid performance as Swofford, though he is often overshadowed by co-stars Peter Sarsgaard and Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx. Foxx's portrayal as a Marine Corp lifer is superb. He is all business, a Marine through and through, and Foxx never lets his guard down, playing the role by-the-book and making his a memorable character. Likewise, Sarsgaard shines as the troubled spotter of the Scout Sniper two-man team. His performance only improves as the film wears on as his character reveals complexities and emotions that build through the course of the story. The film also features one of the best scores of the decade. Thomas Newman (The Shawshank Redemption) has penned a score that is all at once chilling, exciting, and featuring something of a Middle Eastern flair, the perfect combination for accompaniemnt of the story, visuals, and emotions of the film.

Jarhead Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Universal deploys Jarhead onto Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. The film features that slightly washed out, harsh, and grainy look that so many of the newer wartime films employ. Detail is incredibly high throughout in spite of the out-of-the-ordinary presentation. Facial detail in particular stands out. So to do the finer details throughout the image, from the stitching on the uniforms to the the individual blades of grass, sand, and debris seen throughout the film. Even through blowing sand and the haze and dense skies filled with smoke and oil as depicted later in the picture, the transfer never misses a beat. Blacks are perfectly dark and deep, with no appreciable appearance of crushing. Likewise, flesh tones hold up very well underneath the somewhat disturbed appearance of much of the imagery. Jarhead looks fantastic on Blu-ray, and the high resolution the format allows the intended look of the film to shine.

Jarhead Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Jarhead goes to war with another high quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack from Universal. The sound quality is excellent across the board, offering listeners a loud but also precise experience. Popular music, such as Bobby McFerrin's Dont Worry, Be Happy and Naughty By Nature's O.P.P., plays well across the entire listening area, loud and clear across the front and with a powerful rear channel and LFE support. The same may be said of Thomas Newman's astounding score. Even the Apocalypse Now segments sound fantastic. Combining the cheering Marines in attendance with the rattling bass of the helicopter rotors and Richard Wagner's most famous piece that makes the popular scene an operatic masterpiece play in wonderful harmony in Jarhead, a scene that sounds fantastic and is sure to bring a smile to any War film fan's face. The repeated thuds of the accidental launch of flares in chapter 10 produces a nice subtle yet effective pounding effect throughout the soundstage. Various other sound effects tear through the listening area as well. Tanks roll past through the sand, helicopters pass overhead, and jets zoom across the sky, all with excellent imaging. The track creates a solid sense of space and atmosphere, though many dialogue-heavy scenes offer little-to-no rear channel support. Dialogue reproduction is another high point on the disc with no discernible flaws. Jarhead offers listeners a captivating sound experience that perfectly accompanies the fantastic visuals and excellent story.

Jarhead Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, Jarhead lacks in the supplemental department. The disc features only two commentary tracks; no U-control or additional materials are to be found. The first commentary track features director Sam Mendes. Mendes delivers an above average track that provides plenty of insight into the story, the production, the accuracy of the film, differences between the book and film, the film's political slant, and more. Mendes is easy to listen to, providing insightful and entertaining anecdotes throughout, making for a track fans of the film will want to turn on. The second track features screenwriter William Broyles Jr. and author Anthony Swofford. Broyles is himself a veteran of the Vietnam Conflict, and the pair offer thoughtful insights into the film and Marine Corps life, this track also well worth a listen for those who enjoyed the movie and wish to learn more about it.

Jarhead Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jarhead is both riveting, exciting cinema and poignant storytelling, showcasing the devastation of war, even when the combatants return home in one piece and to a heroes welcome. The film takes the Vietnam Conflict, perhaps the anti-Desert Storm, and shows that war is indeed hell on the individual, no matter its portrayal on the evening news or in the history books. The film features excellent direction, acting, and music, all tying the story together and making for what is one of the better War films in recent memory. Universal's Blu-ray release of Jarhead is astounding technically, featuring first-rate audio and video, but the disc lacks in bonus materials. Nevertheless, fans in search of the highest quality presentation of the film currently available need look no further. Jarhead comes with a solid recommendation.