Rated 3.8/5, Discover One of the Best War Movies of the Last 20 Years and Its 3 Unknown Sequels!

Sam Mendes might be considered a chameleon director, constantly exploring new genres, but he has certainly mastered the war film. From “Jarhead – The End of Innocence” to his triple Oscar-winning “1917” (which received eleven nominations), he has demonstrated his ability to refresh the genre by creating two distinctly different war films.

One plunges its audience into the terror of war with bold long takes—a divine feat that pulls viewers right into the heart of the story. And where “Jarhead” sets itself apart is in its focus on American Marines during the Gulf War, who spend months in the desert sun, waiting for something to happen. Among them, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx spend most of the movie doing virtually nothing.

Critically acclaimed, the film received ratings of 3.8 out of 5 from the press and 3.6 out of 5 from viewers on AlloCiné. Although it may not have been a blockbuster hit, it has earned its prestigious reputation over time. While the two films differ, they converge on one aspect: depicting reality, whether it’s pure action in World War I or the unbearable waiting during the Gulf War.

While “Jarhead” concludes with a definitive ending, it surprisingly spawned three sequels—all of which were released directly to DVD! “Jarhead 2” (2014), “Jarhead 3: The Siege” (2016), and “Jarhead 4: Law Of Return” (2019) are action-packed and bear little resemblance to the original film. Notably missing the well-known actors of the original, these sequels lack originality and have largely been forgotten.

It’s unfortunate for these “sequels” to one of the finest war films of the past two decades, as they do not live up to their predecessor!

To form an opinion, one might need to turn to video on demand. The same goes for revisiting the original film, which is well worth watching if you haven’t seen it yet!