- Full Metal Jacket sees Kubrick explore the Vietnam war, he focusses on the experiences of the American soldiers and how they are transformed from normal people, with unique personalties and experiences, to reprogrammed soldiers ready to kill at a moments notice. Through characters such as Pvt. Pyle and Pvt. Joker, Kubrick looks at this idea from multiple angles and, with a heavy layer of irony, depicts the Vietnam War in a unique way that no other film has captured since.