Introduction
Cinematography is a praised art form since it allows the audience to gain insights into events that occurred decades or even hundreds of years ago. War films are an especially interesting genre, giving firsthand accounts of horrendous events. For example, Full Metal Jacket, a 1987 film directed by Stanley Kubrick, is a thought-provoking portrayal of the Vietnam War. The film plays a crucial role in cinematography, not only for its graphic depiction of violence but also for exploring themes relevant to war and society. While delivering vivid depictions of war atrocities, the film successfully explores the dangers of dehumanization, masculinity, and the psychological effects of war.
Thematic Analysis
Dehumanization
The first theme that is recurrent in the film is dehumanization. The audience is exposed to the experience of soldiers who are taught to be insensitive and ruthless toward the enemy, the Vietnamese army. Despite the Vietnamese soldiers being men with families who awaited them at home, too, the American soldiers were trained to kill them without hesitation and viewed this process as a mere part of their job.
One such example of dehumanization is American soldiers calling Vietnamese men “gooks” and bragging about killing not simply dozens but hundreds of them without feeling guilty (Kubrick, 1987, 1:15). One soldier shared that he killed 157 Vietnamese men, with women and children often being murdered as well (Kubrick, 1987, 1:15). Therefore, one can see that the American army is seen as a machine-like system that is designed to kill and put political priorities over human values.
Psychological Toll of War
Besides the dehumanization theme, the audience sees the psychological effects of war on the soldiers. The film demonstrates how soldiers slowly become desensitized to violence and only see their goal as killing the enemy and civilians. As Private Joker said, “I wanted to see exotic Vietnam, the jewel of Southeast Asia. I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture… and kill them” (Kubrick, 1987, 01:22:49). The men who were at war adapted to the reality of war, so that the experiences that could traumatize another person no longer affected the soldiers. As a result, this shows how those at war completely lost their sense of empathy.
Maculinity
Finally, another theme in the film is masculinity and how the military system shapes it in a way that values toughness above all else. Soldiers are expected to be as aggressive and violent as possible because such behavior is praised and expected. Any emotion men share is seen as a sign of weakness and must be suppressed.
The epitome of such toxic masculinity is the character of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, who believes that humiliating and treating the soldiers as less than human shapes character. The audience constantly sees the man using vile language when talking to others, one time calling a soldier “a worthless piece of sh*t” (Kubrick, 1987, 15:24). As a result, the men seen in the movie are often seen conforming to the military expectations.
Conclusion
Hence, the film successfully examines the perils of dehumanization, masculinity, and the psychological impacts of battle while providing graphic depictions of war crimes. The dehumanization of people is the movie’s first recurring topic. The experience of soldiers who are trained to be cold-blooded and merciless toward their enemy, the Vietnamese army, is shown to the audience.
The spectator observes the psychological impacts of battle on the soldiers and the topic of dehumanization. The movie shows how soldiers gradually lose their sensitivity to violence and instead perceive killing the enemy and innocent people as their purpose. The military system molds masculinity in a way that values toughness above all else, and this idea is also apparent in the movie.
Reference
Kubrick, S. (Director). (1987). Full Metal Jacket [Film]. Warner Bros.