Full Metal Jacket Duality

Many films exist that show the brutality and heartbreak of war. Most Vietnam War films, such as Platoon and Apocalypse Now focus on soldiers already serving in Vietnam and the atrocities that go along with war. For example, in Platoon there are scenes of soldiers killing women and attempted rape. Those that have not experienced war may wonder how a human being could commit such acts. While it might seem logical to correlate this mentality with the stresses of combat, the film Full Metal Jacket gives its audience another possibility. The film provides a look into the basic training marines were given before putting boots on the ground in Vietnam, marking the first step in becoming a trained killer. The 1987 film, Full Metal Jacket is a story about Private James T. Davis,

While looking down at the bodies, he makes the statement in the narration “the dead know only one thing: it is better to be alive.” (Kubrick). While conducting an interview, an older officer interrupts and during the conversation he asks Joker why he is wearing a button with a peace symbol while also having the phrase born to kill written on his helmet. To this Joker replies that perhaps he is commenting on the duality of man. Next, the men arrive at a tattered village that the U.S. has taken. It is here that Joker is reunited with his friend from basic training, Cowboy. Joker and Rafter man are also introduced to several other soldiers, including Animal Mother, a seemingly psychotic and violent individual. Rafter man starts taking photographs and is told by a soldier to come take a picture. The soldier says, “This is his party, today is his birthday” then he lifts the hat revealing the dead body of a Vietnamese man. This is much like the men in Tim O’Brien’s book, The Things They Carried, when the soldiers were high fiving, and shaking the hand of the dead Vietnamese (O'Brien