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10 Best War Movies That Focus On Boot Camp

Ashleigh Durden12 hours ago
13 minutes read
10 Best War Movies That Focus On Boot Camp

While most war movies take viewers into the heart of battle, it’s less common to get a glimpse into recruits’ experiences training in boot camp before they enter conflict zones. This formative time in a soldier’s military life equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to fight on the front lines and, in some circumstances, can be just as traumatic as actual warfare. While some great post-war movies have explored veterans’ experiences adapting to life after wartime, other fantastic films address their training in boot camp.

From historically accurate World War II movies to harrowing portrayals of lesser-known conflicts, boot camp has played a part in some of the greatest war movies ever made. Famed directors like Ridley Scott, Clint Eastwood, and even Stanley Kubrick have used boot camps as a platform to depict the horrors of war and the young soldiers who give their lives in the name of violence. For recruits, boot camp represents the first step toward battle, and plenty of great war movies have explored this early stage of the military experience.

10

G.I. Jane (1997)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Director Ridley Scott has been exploring the topic of war since his very first movie, The Duellists, and it was in G.I. Jane he presented his take on the feminine military experience as a female solider attempted to showcase her abilities in a space so prominently dominated by men. As Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil (Demi Moore) overcame gender discrimination by participating in a grueling military training program, G.I. Jane highlighted the harsh circumstances of boot camp, where the weak are weeded out from the strong.

As the fictional story about the first woman to enter the elite US Navy SEALs training program, G.I. Jane delivered a powerful feminist message for all those who underestimated women. While G.I. Jane had its issues and suffered from clunky dialogue and an often absurd plot, the importance of its messaging more than made up for its faults as it deconstructed sexism in the military. With an incredible performance from Moore, G.I. Jane, along with other movies like Alien and Thelma & Louise, added to Scott’s impressive oeuvre of films dealing with strong and capable women.

9

Private Benjamin (1980)

Directed by Howard Zieff

Private Benjamin told the story of a female soldier who, against all societal expectations, enrolled in the army and was forced to adapt to the hardships of military life. With Goldie Hawn as Judith Benjamin, this high-society woman gave up her lavish lifestyle to take on the grueling challenges of boot camp and astonished all her male counterparts in the process. While Benjamin’s decision was influenced by needing a vacation, once she got to basic training, she quickly realized this would be far from the spa holiday the recruiter described.

However, Private Benjamin showcased a woman who found purpose in her newfound situation, and although it took some adjustment, she managed to lead her team to victory during their war game exercises. The feminist message in Private Benjamin struck a chord with viewers, and the film was one of the biggest box office hits of 1980, taking in $69.8 million against its budget of $9.2 million (via AFI.) By highlighting a woman’s right to join the army during a time when this was still taboo, Private Benjamin was a trailblazing film.

8

Heartbreak Ridge (1986)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood conjured all of the tough charisma he had amassed playing Western antiheroes and roles like Dirty Harry to deliver his own take on the no-nonsense military sergeant archetype. Heartbreak Ridge starred Eastwood as Clint Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway, the man tasked with getting a haphazard platoon of marines in shape before they take part in the American invasion of Grenada in 1983. With Eastwood himself on directing duties, this sharp and clever film was one of his most underrated releases.

Heartbreak Ridge saw Eastwood deliver witty one-liners with the aggression of a sergeant nearing retirement who has seen it all and has no time for the undisciplined practices of his final group of trainees. With a fun-filled, laid-back energy, this 1980s release featured one of Eastwood’s greatest performances in that decade. As a film primarily set at boot camp, real marines who see the film can thank themselves lucky if they managed to avoid a sergeant as uncompromising and rigid as Highway.

7

Stripes (1981)

Directed by Ivan Reitman

One film that gave a glimpse into the more comedic side of the boot camp experience was Stripes, starring Bill Murray. This classic comedy saw Murray play the cab driver John Winger, who, after losing his job, apartment, car, and girlfriend, decides to join the army with his best friend. What followed was a rude awakening to the realities of boot camp as John was confronted with the difficult training of Sergeant Hulka.

Stripes was an early comedy hit for Murray that saw the beginning of his transition from Saturday Night Live performer into a full-fledged movie star. With an impressive cast of talented comedians, the hardships of boot camp were played for laughs as these hapless trainee soldiers struggled to reach their full potential. As a celebration of undisplaced slackers, Stripes was a lot of fun.

6

The Boys in Company C (1978)

Directed by Sidney J. Furie

While many will recognize R. Lee Ermey as the intense drill sergeant in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, he actually made his film debut in The Boys in Company C. As a genuine former U.S. Marine drill instructor, Ermey’s forceful training techniques were not a put-on, and he added a layer of authenticity to this story of recruits training before being shipped out to Vietnam. The Boys in Company C was a thrilling war story that followed soldiers’ journeys from boot camp into the war and onto some of their untimely deaths.

As one of the first Vietnam War movies to be made following the conclusion of the conflict, The Boys in Company C reflected on the legacy of the war that had become so unpopular among the American population. As the first of a trilogy of Vietnam War movies from Sidney J. Furie, it was followed by Under Heavy Fire in 2001 and The Veteran in 2006. While the grueling challenges of boot camp were depicted on screen, The Boys in Company C also highlighted the loss of life that occurs on the battlefield.

5

Biloxi Blues (1988)

Directed by Mike Nichols

Based on the semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon, Biloxi Blues was a military comedy by director Mike Nichols starring Matthew Broderick just two years after his major success with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Set during the Second World War, Private Eugene Jerome (Broderick) has to deal with the grueling challenges of boot camp under the guidance of the harsh drill sergeant Merwin J. Toomey (Christopher Walken.) While Jerome understands the seriousness of his situation, there are three things he values above all else: losing his virginity, surviving the war, and becoming a writer.

Nichols conjured the same kind of coming-of-age appeal that made his films like The Graduate so resonant in Biloxi Blues. With enough comedy to provide big laughs, the film’s humor never overshadows the difficult realities underpinning Jerome’s situation. Despite its appeal, Biloxi Blues never quite managed to endure in the public consciousness in the way some other war films have, and it’s a great underrated release for movie buffs to check out.

4

Tigerland (2000)

Directed by Joel Schumacher

The experiences of a group of American soldiers preparing to fight in Vietnam were depicted in Joel Schumacher’s excellent war movie Tigerland. With Colin Farrell as Private Roland Bozz, a draftee who opposed the war, Tigerland was set in 1971 as the public support for the United States participation in the conflict was faltering. As anti-establishment political beliefs pervaded the soldiers’ boot camp training, Tigerland offered a fascinating glimpse into army recruits who were being sent to war against thier will.

Despite boasting a strong story, a talented cast, and an emotional, weighty narrative, Tigerland bombed at the box office and made just over $148,000 against its $10 million budget (via Box Office Mojo.) Although the film failed commercially, it was a creative triumph from Schumacher, who was famously ridiculed for his work on the divisive superhero movie Batman & Robin. Looking back, Tigerland was a great boot camp war movie that deserves far more attention.

3

Jarhead (2005)

Directed by Sam Mendes

Director Sam Mendes chronicles the military service of Corporal Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) of the U.S. Marine Corps during the Persian Gulf War. While much of the film takes place in active warfare, the early part of Jarhead depicted the grueling process of boot camp from which Swofford emerged as a sniper. As a powerful depiction of the boredom, isolation, and terror of those embroiled in conflict zones, part of the appeal of Jarhead was that it did not sugarcoat military life and embraced brutal realism.

Jarhead was only a modest success at the box office and grossed a disappointing $97 million against its $72 million budget, although its psychologically rich narrative and emotionally complex characters have meant it has grown in stature over the past two decades. With several direct-to-video sequels, Jarhead has continued as an unlikely franchise. Although it may not have reached a massive audience at the time, Jarhead still remains one of Gyllenhaal’s best and most underrated performances.

2

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Directed by Mel Gibson

Hacksaw Ridge was an emotionally devastating war movie from director Mel Gibson starring Andrew Garfield. As a depiction of World War II from the perspective of Desmond Doss, an American pacifist combat medic who refused to carry a weapon as a conscientious objector to bloodshed, this anti-war film featured some of the most brutal and bloody battles ever captured onscreen. Prior to showcasing Doss’s experience helping the injured on the battlefield, Hacksaw Ridge explored his time training in boot camp.

An early indication of Doss’s non-violent beliefs came during his basic training with the 77th Infantry Division when he refused to carry a rifle or train on Saturdays. Doss was a real soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the battle of Okinawa, and Hacksaw Ridge did an excellent job of honoring his legacy and brave, selfless acts. As a devastating war film that will stick with audiences well after the credits have rolled, Hacksaw Ridge took viewers on a journey from boot camp right to the heart of battle.

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick’s classic anti-war movie Full Metal Jacket was separated into two halves, the first depicting trainees’ experiences in boot camp and the second highlighting their graduate’s time in the Vietnam War. While both halves made for compelling viewing, most will agree that the first portion, set in boot camp, was the film’s most memorable and compelling aspect. Featuring astounding performances from Vincent D’Onofrio as the bullied Private Gomer Pyle and the real-life drill sergeant R. Lee Ermey as his ruthless instructor, the film explored the cold-hearted expectations placed on recruits.

The experiences of Private Pyle were what ensured that Full Metal Jacket would be remembered as one of Kubrick’s greatest releases, as D’Onofrio’s harrowing mental breakdown showcased that boot camp can be just as traumatic as actual warfare. As a darkly comic and intense story, the boot camp section of Full Metal Jacket was the film at its most urgent as Ermey utilized his real drill sergeant experience to portray the foul-mouthed and uncompromising instructor Gunnery Sergeant L. Hartman. While there have been plenty of war movies featuring boot camps, none were as iconic as Full Metal Jacket.

Sources: AFI, Box Office Mojo

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Ashleigh Durden12 hours ago
13 minutes read
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