Examining Vulnerability in the War Genre

Vulnerability is not only a definitive term
but it is an intrinsic emotion that we all experience from time to time. Apply
this to a war setting and the feelings of vulnerability are intensified, so
much so that every audience member is rooting for them every step of the way,
even if the characters aren’t developed fully. I will be analyzing 3 films that
depict vulnerability, not only in battle but also in the heightened form of
male masculinity that every soldier strives to achieve, which causes that
emotional and personal conflict. These films include, Full Metal Jacket (1987), Platoon
(1986) and Jarhead (2005), which are
all contained films that focus specifically on a group of soldiers during a
real conflict.

War promotes a toxic environment, one that
is both physically and mentally draining because soldiers are constantly put in
a vulnerable situation, even before they set foot in the…