therightfangirl | And yet another take on Jarhead

Thanks much. Now I know to definatly not see that movie. Not that I was planning to, but I often find myself seeing movies I am inclined not to see if I don't have a concret reason to avoid it. Again, thanks for providing a reason.

I can't speak for everyone, but when the trailers for it started to air, I got the feeling it would not be an accurate movie, and this article has supported my feelings. Thanks for sharing it.

I can't say I'm surprised. I'm disappointed, but not surprised.

^^ What she said.

well you have to take every fiction film with a grain of salt. war films and films based on any historical event are always going to be subject to scrutiny and more often than not, they are inaccurate. why? because Hollywood filmmaking revolves around dramatic effect. accuracy should really only be an issue in documentary film because the basis of the documentary is non-fiction storytelling.

i didn't draw the conclusion after watching Jarhead that all Marines behaved like this one platoon. i've known men and women who are in the military and some are more disciplined than others. you can't pigeonhole them into one particular category. that's just naive. and it's really naive to believe everything you see on screen. if people are seriously going to form their opinion about the military because of a fucking Hollywood movie then that's their problem. there are a lot of positive and interesting things about Jarhead from a cinematic perspective and those shouldn't be lost on the fact that there were embellishments or inaccuracies.

i do think it's important to know that Anthony Swofford may not be the most reliable source, but that fact doesn't really change how i feel about the film. i think it's possible to enjoy and appreciate certain aspects of Jarhead if you simply understand that even when a movie is based on actual events, it is still fiction.

I see what you're saying here, and it's the same logic that I use when explaining why I love "Braveheart" even though it is historically inaccurate to a degree that is almost embarrassing. However, I tend to think that a film about more recent events, especially ones so controversial, should be held to a higher standard of accuracy. It doesn't do anyone any harm if we all think that William Wallace was a pure-white hero with no ulterior motives when historical evidence suggests that he actually led the rebellion against England because he wanted to be king. Giving the story a hefty tweak so that we have an obvious good guy and an obvious bad guy is okay because it really makes no difference if a lot of people have a broad misconception of William Wallace as a good guy. "Jarhead", on the other hand, may have some redeeming qualities as a film, but as something that purports to relate events that actually took place very recently and considering that it very well may cause harm if people are mislead to believe that the portrayal of the movie is true to life, I think it is completely deserving of any censure that comes it's way on the grounds of inaccuracy.

As an addendum: This is not to say that the movie cannot be enjoyed despite said inaccuracy. I know that the portrayal of events in the "Erin Brokovich" movie is tweaked as much or more than that in "Braveheart" but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the film, ridiculously skanky outfits notwithstanding.

i think it's possible to enjoy and appreciate certain aspects of Jarhead if you simply understand that even when a movie is based on actual events, it is still fiction

So it felt more like good storytelling (albeit fantastical) rather than propaganda coughOliverStonecough?

i think the acting was amazing, the cinematography was beautiful, and i liked the fact that it was different than any other war film i've ever seen. as a film scholar, i find it refreshing when directors approach a genre in an innovative way.

seeing as i'm a huge fan of movies and a lot of movies come out of Hollywood, the liberal capital of the world, i find that sometimes i have to put my own conservative politics aside when seeing a film. if i didn't, there are tons of films i'd never be able to appreciate on a cinematic level. perhaps Sam Mendes has some kind of liberal agenda but Jarhead is no Fahrenheit 9/11. that is blatant propaganda because it claims to be factual. but like i said earlier, despite being based on a real war Jarhead is a fiction film and the soldiers are still just characters in a movie. no one has to believe what's being shown to them. i can watch Jarhead and appreciate what it does well as a film because i'm not letting it push my political buttons. people wonder why this country has become so divided and hostile and it's because everyone is just waiting to be insulted or criticized by the other side.

everyone is just waiting to be insulted or criticized by the other side.

Er, you do know that Hollywood has been pretty darn pro-active in the biz of insulting, not to mention slandering, the U.S. Military, right?

Those who're in the service (or have family in it) who aren't "just waiting" to be insulted by the latest offering from La-La-Land are gluttons for punishment.

I think someone would have to have a pretty narrow viewpoint to walk away from Jarhead and think all Marines behave as they did in the movie. Some Marines behave better than others. Just because they're Marines doesn't mean they're robots.

Jarhead was a breath of fresh air as far as war films go. I liked that it wasn't on a battle/combat perspective. There was no climactic scene where the hero runs through bullets to save all his fellow soldiers. It really went into a little bit more about what war does to a person and how they have to deal with that on a day-to-day basis. I came away from that movie with a deeper respect for the soldiers fighting in the war. They have to deal with a lot that civilians know nothing about.

As conservatives, we love telling liberals we're open minded, but I haven't seen too much of that lately.

And yet another take on Jarhead

Wish I could say I was surprised

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