Full Metal Jacket 4K Blu-ray Review & Comments

[Casimir Harlow]

Kubrick's 1987 war classic, Full Metal Jacket, earns itself a stellar native 4K release, affording fans the perfect excuse for a likely long-overdue rewatch.
Read the review.

Write your own review for Full Metal Jacket 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

 

[stblob]

Thanks for the review Cas, this is a classic and on my " to get" list. This should be in everyone's collection.

 

[Nayfne]

Cheers Cas, great review, certainly in my list to pick up...with regards to Immersive Audio from WB, i wonder why Beetlejuice 4k has Atmos, but The Goonies and Full metal jacket Don't? I wonder if it's to do with certain early Blu ray releases with an original Dolby True HD track already in place that get the Atmos treatment, and the ones with DTS-HD get left at that.

 

[Jim Di Griz]

Thanks Cas. This one has never been a favourite of mine but I may well pick it up at a later date.

 

[chief barker]

Nice review Cas I may pick it up if it's on offer at a later date.

I'm really hoping Eyes Wide Shut gets a 4k makeover, which I think, is the superior of these two films.

 

[steviedr]

Thanks Cas, I actually do really like this film, thought it would struggle to match The Shining from a 4K PQ perspective given the outdoor second act. Watched Dr Strangelove recently and had forgotten how great a film it is (and looks very nice on uhd too).
Another who will wait for this to drop a bit, although Stanley Kubrick: Limited Edition Film Collection keeps winking at me..

Edit: the collection is a mixed bag of UHD / Blu, the winking eye has just shut!

 

[kb33]

Old enough / lucky enough to see this at the ABC picture house in Leeds upon first release
Came out with ‘open grave eyes ‘
Which is how it should be after watching a decent war movie.
watched it numerous times since and it still as me hooked and staring at the screen for longer than is healthy.
It’s a classic and always will be and can only get better with a 4K transfer.
This will be going in the collection along with the VHS / DVD and blu ray versions.

 

[Evinger]

Cheers Xas. On the Rental list immediately!

 

[Paul7777x]

Spectacularly funny and terrifying film to my young self at the time.

It’s on my list.

 

[GingerRocky]

I'm really hoping Eyes Wide Shut gets a 4k makeover, which I think, is the superior of these two films.

i think i need to watch this again as i thought it was toilet when i watched it back in the day

 

[jakimp]

thanks Cas - another one to add

 

[GT One]

Full Metal Jacket was watched by me just to see what the hype was all about, and R. Lee Ermey did impress, and so he should as he was basically playing himself in Marine instructor mode.
When this film was released the enigma of Stanley Kubrick had been lost for me, his directorial style was definitely too esoteric and for devoted fans only, it was like watching an over produced and expensive arthouse movie waiting for the visual exploitation moments to begin, though Full Metal Jacket did keep the highly charged emotional moments going during the military bastardisation process of Marine training, it was never going to be a film for sensitive souls.
Kubrick obviously excels creating human trauma and opening up psychological wounds, Full Metal Jacket was perhaps one of the first movies to look at the contributing causes of PTSD and like Oliver Stone he made Full Metal Jacket as part of his Vietnam War, Apocalypse Now legacy.
Watching this film once was enough for me, but it does have it's own creative qualities which will include the title as one of Kubrik's better works.
I can only give it 7 out of 10.

 

[steviedr]

I'm really hoping Eyes Wide Shut gets a 4k makeover, which I think, is the superior of these two films.

Ahh, so there are 2 fans of Eyes wide shut then, I thought I was the only one
I’ve honestly never seen many comment positively about it.
Hoping for a 4K release too

 

[FevreDream]

Picked up a copy yesterday, although I got the standard edition not the Collectors Edition. Only sampled a few scenes so far to check out the PQ but, as the review says, it looks great.

 

[terencejames]

I must have been 12 or 13 when I first saw this and was absolutely blown away by Ermeys colourful and imaginative use of language. I even bought the ' I wanna be your drill instructor ' single. Being able to recite a lot of Ermeys lines propelled me to the dizzy heights of Vice President in my schools swearing club.

 

[barnaby jones]

Ahh, so there are 2 fans of Eyes wide shut then, I thought I was the only one
I’ve honestly never seen many comment positively about it.
Hoping for a 4K release too

And me !!

 

[Jessica Noir]

My iTunes copy just upgraded to 4K! I know it's not as good as a physical copy, but it is what it is. I remember watching this in a packed Cineworld in the early '00s and the whole audience being left in hysterics by Ermey's lines.

Does anyone else's favourite Kubrick film change over time? I used to love this and The Shining as a younger man, but now I'm obsessed with Eyes Wide Shut and Barry Lyndon.

 

[steviedr]

I’ve yet to see Barry Lyndon, I never had much love for Dr S, watched it last week and can’t understand why I didn’t get on with it, it has fantastic performances and so funny. While the humour was expected from Sellers, I now see George C Scott in a new light.

Mind you same could be said for Lawrence of Arabia, was always “ok”, again, watched in 4K and was stunned.

Maybe age, maybe transfer, maybe mood...not sure, probably age...

Always had a soft spot for FMJ, as a student we all went through a Nam period and it was this along with Platoon and The Deer Hunter that cycled weekend after weekend.
I haven’t seen Clockwork since the same period when I first watched Dr S, so maybe will have more love for it too.
The Shining, 2001 and Eyes have been adored from the start, still need to watch Dr Sleep...

 

[Jessica Noir]

You're in for a treat, Doctor Sleep is outstanding. Especially the director's cut.

 

[Markonesmile]

I’ve yet to see Barry Lyndon, I never had much love for Dr S, watched it last week and can’t understand why I didn’t get on with it, it has fantastic performances and so funny. While the humour was expected from Sellers, I now see George C Scott in a new light.

Mind you same could be said for Lawrence of Arabia, was always “ok”, again, watched in 4K and was stunned.

Maybe age, maybe transfer, maybe mood...not sure, probably age...

Always had a soft spot for FMJ, as a student we all went through a Nam period and it was this along with Platoon and The Deer Hunter that cycled weekend after weekend.
I haven’t seen Clockwork since the same period when I first watched Dr S, so maybe will have more love for it too.
The Shining, 2001 and Eyes have been adored from the start, still need to watch Dr Sleep...

I think age when you have first seen something and maturity change our taste in film. Also the process of watching more varied films makes us appreciate a greater variety too. There is no doubt the older films are slower paced, but then they have other compensations. I sometimes think the art of good dialogue is missing from modern films. The ability to drink in an atmosphere. Also where you saw a film. I saw Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen in 89 after its first major restoration and I was blown away. I had never seen a film shot in 70mm projected in 70mm. The image was beyond real. The same with 2001.

Doctor Sleep is excellent by the way. Took me totally by surprise as I thought it would be average at best.

 

[Jim Di Griz]

Ahh, so there are 2 fans of Eyes wide shut then, I thought I was the only one
I’ve honestly never seen many comment positively about it.
Hoping for a 4K release too

Not just us! Its one of those films that got panned back in the day but in later years, people have come to appreciate it for the near classic that it is. I ignored it for years myself thinking it was some kind of romcom (yeah I know - I'm stupid!) and then when I finally watched it I loved it on first watch. A lot more than the film of this thread in fact.... (yeah come at me haters! )

 

[Jim Di Griz]

You're in for a treat, Doctor Sleep is outstanding. Especially the director's cut.

I really wanted Doctor Sleep to be good as I really loved the book. And it was all that and then some.

 

[encaser]

Excellent and strangely compelling tale of comradery but an ultimately distressing film that gave me the irrit's. There's no way I would order this. What's that Johnnie Walker, I read the review late last night and Amazon just texted?

 

[simonblue]

Thanks for the review Cas,mine came Sunday,down for a watch this week,also for those who haven't read it, the book its based on is very good.

Short Timers by Gustav Hasford,

 

[Tim2049]

One of my all time favourite films. Although...i tend to switch it off after 'that' Private Pyles scene.

The first half is a masterpiece, the second half bores me. I'm not at peace with that, but it's the same pattern every time I watch it unfortunately...