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Saw it Saturday. Good flick. Good photography. I place it below Full Metal Jacket though.

Pro-war? Anti-war? Neutral on the war? Any political overtones?

I ask because Hollywood is planning a slew of stuff with a particular political agenda (I won't say what agenda) . . . an article I read indicates that the movie industry suspects a profitable trend because of the success of a recent movie that has the word "Farenheit" in the title . . . I don't want to pay money for propaganda.

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I thought it was somewhat anti military and anti war. It was based on one guys experience in the Marines and had a slight anti feel. Lot's of action at the beginning and sad "Oh I hate my life " feel at the end. Sort of like Apocalypse Now if you get my drift.

For instance: the scene of the war where we pounded those thieves in the "mile" taking Mercedes, jewels and loot back to Bagdad. The writers tried to make you feel sad and upset that we toasted them with incendaries and the like. Hey its war and we won. I don't feel bad at all.

Some classic great scenes like Sgt says "We will now practice with paintballs and my job is to kill you. Recruit says " Will it hurt?" Next scene is recruit getting blasted in eye goggles with a paint ball.

Now that's funny.

I was disappointed and saw the movie with a mom whose son just got out of bootcamp. She felt it also had a negative slant on the Marines too. We talked in the lobby with a 20 year veteran of the MC who felt that it did a great job of showing the boredom and frustration of being in military. He had 22 confirmed kills so I still can't figure out how he got so bored in the MC.

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It was not a great movie. I was not a bad movie.

I found lots to like in the movie, but just as much stuff that didn't really make sense.

I don't want to give much away, but the film was structured as a series of scenes that were each different things that happened to this guy. If you have ever talked to someone in the military, they have a bunch of wierd or funny or scary stories to tell you. Thats what this movie was, a collection of one guys story. Some of it worked and some of it didn't. Most of the time it was pretty boring.

I thought the movie was anti marine, anti war, and anti America, but considering the cast and director, none of that was surprising.

Later,

Ben

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I read the book.

I thought Swafford(sp?) was a whiner.

90% of the book he's complaining about the Marine Corps.

the last 10% is when the war ends before they get into any combat.

The most anti-climactic book I've ever read.

I don't plan on wasting My money on it.

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So is it worth it to spend the $8.50 on the movie at the theater, or should I wait to spend $3 for the DVD?

Well, that movie night would have to involve my GF, plus dinner, popcorn, drinks, and other misc costs. So is it worth $40?? :blink:

Edited by hksniperman
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He had 22 confirmed kills so I still can't figure out how he got so bored in the MC.

My experience in the service was generally 355 days of the year doing training (or nothing), with 1 day a year or so being very, very exciting. I'll take boring any day.

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It has good and bad, but overall a alright movie.

I have a close friend who's in the Marines, He spent lots of time in Desert Storm right at the front and on his 7th or 8th trip over for this fight he was recently wounded in the neck and back, still waiting for more details on his condition.

He had already told me many stories of what he went through but I wanted to see the Hollywood version.

Safe return to those still there!

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I like the fact that the movie dealt with the boredom you face being deployed overseas and dealing with danger regularilly, but not necessarilly able to do anything about it. A lot of the things in the movie mirrored some of my own experiences, including the "pro-mask" football. I thought it was well done.

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Whatever you do, don't bring your girlfriend. It's definately not a chick flick.

Hogwash! My wife took me to see it. Then again, she has her own love affair with Jake Ghyllenhaal. :blink: We both enjoyed it.

The most anti-climactic book I've ever read.

I think that was the whole point. ;) Not to say that there is some big, grandiose message to take away from it, but I really do think was the point.

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Whatever you do, don't bring your girlfriend. It's definately not a chick flick.

my (girl)friend actually suggested we go see it.....after it was over...we both agreed...it sucked. Seems like a movie waiting for something to happen and never finds it.

Save your money...wait for it on DVD.

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This is a very interesting review with background info on the main character:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/spea...4229434,00.html

Apparently there is some dispute about whether the book should be filed in the fiction or nonfiction section.

Apart from that, if you see it as a book about basic training, you'll enjoy it. If you see it as a war movie, you'll be disappointed.

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  • 3 weeks later...
In his book he boasts of stealing equipment from his fellow Marines and selling it on the black market, forcing them to pay for the loss of government property. He is openly contemptuous of his comrades (at one point he calls them "mouth-breathers") and puts on intellectual airs because he reads Sartre and Camus and they don't. (And lest I be accused of anti-intellectualism, I was a philosophy major in college.

Blanket Party anyone???

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saw it last night-thought it sucked. all the movie was about was a guy that wanted to take a shot. lame. boot camp scene 45 seconds-wtf? and if one of my buds tried to burn me with a friggin hot wire that said "usmc", he would have been exposed to c-4...we had fun with that stuff...lot's of stories.

in any case, not a very accurate depiction of the real world...at least i hope the corps hasn't dropped that far.

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