Jarhead

Sam Mendes' Gulf War film isn't very good, despite some impressive production value. It concern a young Marine sniper sent over to the gulf, along with a lot of other soldiers, to sit around and sort of think about the meaning of life, or masturbate. Y'know, whatever works. Like his American Beauty, ultimately this film doesn't succeed because it comes across as too bitter for its own good. It lacks the solid foundation required for it indignation to be considered righteous. Nevertheless, it looks good, and when the oil wells are lit, cinematographer Roger Deakins gets to play around with some impressive image-making. Not to mention some generally solid performances, particularly from Peter Sarsgaard and Jamie Foxx. Though these soliders may recognize the iconic nature of films like Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter, the Gulf War has yet to create its defining film.