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Jarhead

Review By: Alexis Tuminello
AlexisTuminello@TheCinemaSource.com

Jake Gyllenhaal’s bare naked ass. Do I really have to say more? I don’t think so but I will for those of you whiners who want “substance” for your ten bucks. I’m just kidding. I didn’t even know they were going to show him as scantly clad as they did, or that he was going to be in the amazing shape that he was, but suffice it to say, he looked incredible.

Like most others I was sold the first time I saw the Jarhead trailer: the perfect song accompanied key scenes. It was a perfect “Hu-Rah” blend. So I badgered, begged, and asked every single day about when I could see Jarhead and finally a couple of days ago, I got my wish.

Right from the first scene the movie draws you in. Marine recruit Tony Swofford, or Swoff (Jake Gyllenhaal), starts his narration while the screen is still black and the audience is immediately sold. Swofford recalls in clips his time in basic training; the highs, lows, and the ass-kicking’s he receives. Picture Full Metal Jacket twenty years later. Sawford quickly assesses that perhaps following the family tradition of enlistment might not have been the smartest move he ever made but once you’re in, you’re in. Knowing he has zero chance of taking his decision back he survives basic training and becomes a true jarhead. There are a number of different definitions for jarhead but what initially came to mind was the shape of the head with the classic Marine haircut. That is one of the definitions, the most common one to civilians. The others, well, I’m not giving it all away. What seems like many pushups and concussions later the first phase of hell is over for him and his term of service really begins.

Staff Sergeant Siek (Jamie Foxx) gives Swoff his first chance of actually doing something of merit that doesn’t immediately send Swoff to the nurse. He lets him tryout to be a scout/sniper. Tryout isn’t the right word; he has to earn his place as a coveted scout/sniper. Four two man teams are to be selected for this honor; one a sniper and the other his scout. This is the first time Swoff even entertains the thought maybe joining up wasn’t a bad idea after all. A crack shot Swoff proves himself one of the worthy sniper halves and repeats after Siek his first incantation of the snipers proverb “This is my rifle”.

Not too long after that the United States gets involved in the situation in the Middle East. Swoff’s