Reviewing the reviewer: Time Magazine on Full Metal Jacket

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,964819,00.html

Richard Corliss of Time Magazine simultaneously provides a synopsis of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket while drawing attention to both thematic and visual elements the casual movie watcher may not initially consider.

In the midst of giving a general plot outline of Act I, Corliss characterizes a few of the central players in Privates Joker ("The recruit who dares to hang some John Wayne sarcasm on the drill instructor") and Gomer Pyle ("...a fat bumpkin who's dim-witted sanctity begs to be beaten into lean meat") and notes a common perception of the military in that the young recruits "will be stripped of their freedom, their pride, and their names."

Corliss also notes that in the opening act, Kubrick makes a concentrated effort with the camera to capture the entire boot camp experience. He follows the soldiers throughout the entirety of their day and, most notably, "abruptly cuts to close-ups, to study their pain head on."

Our Time reviewer also takes notice of the marked absence of color in Act II characterizing it as a "desaturated green-gray of a war zone." Noting the only exception being during times of violence as "gunfire makes a gutted warehouse flare into brilliant orange."

Corliss does nothing to spoil Act III, instead choosing to pose a few questions regarding no-win dilemmas that should serve well in pushing those sitting on the fence over to the side with seats, popcorn, and a fast forward button for squeamish viewers.

Overall, Richard Corliss does an exceptional job of illustrating the attention to detail that Stanley Kubrick is renown for. In addition, Corliss ensures the reader will come away from the review intrigued by the plot of the film without giving away concrete details while demonstrating visual literacy in offering a taste into the conflicts that are sure to captivate the more thoughtful movie watching audience.