A young journalist from high school (Matthew Modine) embeds himself within Marine Corps training at Parris Island, where he offers support to a recruit who's having difficulty adjusting before being deployed to document the war. While in Da Nang, he observes the beginning of the Tet Offensive and is then sent approximately 58 miles northwest along the coast to participate in the Battle of Hue. “Full Metal Jacket” (1987) began production half a year prior to “Platoon” in August of 1985, but because filming took twelve months, "Platoon" reached theaters first and overshadowed it. What’s notable is that “Platoon” was made at a significantly lower cost—just $6 million versus the $30 million for this film—and is ultimately the better movie overall. Despite this, there are still aspects of this picture worth noting. The initial boot camp segment feels exceptionally authentic (based on my own experience). R. Lee Ermey delivers a strong performance as the drill instructor, though he seems excessively harsh toward ‘Pyle.’ The transition to Vietnam is somewhat abrupt, but it’s compelling to see a war film centered on urban fighting rather than the usual jungle setting. The conclusion leaves a lasting impression (regarding Joker's actions), although it borrows heavily from the riverboat massacre scene in “Apocalypse Now” and lacks that same impact. There are two scenes containing explicit content involving Vietnamese prostitutes, especially the second one, which I found unnecessary. However, I suppose they’re intended to depict the unfortunate reality for young soldiers experiencing war. The film has a running time of 1 hour, 56 minutes, and was filmed in England (with locations too numerous to list), interspersed with some historical footage from Parris Island, SC. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB