“Jarhead,” released to DVD Tuesday, depicts the riveting memoirs of a marine who served in the Gulf War.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Corporal Sworff, a 20-year-old Sacramento native who “got lost on the way to college” and ended up in the Marine Corps. The film follows him from the notoriously agonizing training process, through the highs and lows of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, to the grim realization of the life after war awaiting him.

Academy Award winner, Jamie Foxx, stars as Sworff’s Staff Sergeant whose role is to guide Sworff and the rest of the platoon into becoming “the meanest, the cruelest, and the most savage, unforgiving mother fuckers on God’s cruel kingdom.”

After being introduced to this world where violence is forcefully embedded into the very fiber of his character, Sworff can never again be the man he left behind. His hands, just as his spirit, will be forever marked by the memory of the rifle that defined him in the desert.

The term “jarhead” is referenced early on as a slang term for a marine, originating from the idea that a marine’s head is as empty a vessel as is a jar. In the transformation from man to marine, the soldiers are used as dispensable instruments of war, stripping them of their humanity and yet ironically it is ultimately the unique exposure of the soldiers’ humanness that makes this a beautiful and enjoyable picture.

“Jarhead” opens with the jovial tune, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” playing amidst images of dehumanization as “newbie” troops gear up for war, which served ingeniously to both set the satiric tone for the film and to convey the naivety of the virgin marine.

Rather than presenting an obvious political slant, the film introduces the controversial issue of war in a light mood, allowing audiences to decide for themselves how to feel about the images. As the mood of the film evolves, the background tunes help take the audience alongside Sworff’s emotional journey that deals with compelling issues like fear, infidelity, and suicide.

Although “Jarhead” is presented through the eyes of one man, the audience is able to equally connect with the hearts of the marines surrounding him. The end result is a diverse picture portraying the dynamics of war and its impact on the human spirit.

“Jarhead” ambitiously veered away from the typical Hollywood war movie, by looking at the soldier’s story from a more intimate perspective, focusing more on the marine’s internal struggles and the element of camaraderie rather than depending on gruesome images of war in action to entertain audiences.

In other words, action lovers beware: “Jarhead” is far from an action packed thriller. There is of course the occasional explosion and rising tension moving in the direction of a combat scene, which never actually rears its ugly head. These teasers may not be enough to impress some audiences. However, where “Jarhead” lacks in the fast-moving action found in most of Hollywood’s war films, it makes up in sincerity, stellar dramatic performances and, well, profanity.

Gyllenhaal delivers an impressive performance in this leading role. His charm, depth, and buffed up physique worked well together on the big screen to expand the likeability factor for this young actor who seems to be gearing up for the big leagues. Not only was his role as Sworff likeable, it was believable and memorable which will helped to establish his credibility as an up and coming front-runner actor.

Foxx did a good job of fulfilling a supporting role which unexpectedly offered little to “wow” the audience with. The film doesn’t explore his character in depth and instead seemed to rely on the weight of his celebrity to enhance the bill. Audiences looking to catch Foxx in his next groundbreaking performance should sit tight because this one wasn’t it.

Expect heart strings to be pulled and funny bones to be tickled as this cast delivers a truly heartfelt performance that is sure to capture and maintain audience’s attention, as long as they don’t expect to see an onslaught of bloody action scenes filled with overt violence and gore. In the world of war stories, this one stands in a realm all its own.

Rating: 3 3/4 out of 4 stars

Elaine Welteroth can be reached at [email protected]