5 Characters Who Stood Out In Jarhead The Movie

Most people enjoy the safety of their homes and their country without knowing how they got it in the first place. We rarely appreciate the individuals who put their lives on the line for us to have peace. Sometimes it takes the intervention of movies such as Jarhead for us to understand what soldiers go through for us to sleep safe and sound. Jarhead is a creative masterpiece filled with outstanding performances by the following characters.

Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford

The main actor is always the anchor of the whole film. If his or her performance is sloppy, the whole movie is doomed. Luckily for Jarhead, Jake’s performance was outstanding. It earned him a Satellite Awards nomination. Jake was able to perfectly portray every emotion that resulted from every difficulty he faced. As a viewer, one was able to feel his pain as he experienced a mental breakdown and ended up asking Fergus, his colleague, to shoot him.

Jamie Foxx as Sergeant Sykes

Sergeant Sykes acted as the voice of reason. He was the man in charge on the ground and succeeded in guiding the soldiers well. He always kept them on their feet and he acted as inspiration. He was the one who saw potential in Swoff even when he faced difficulty in his training and was unable to make any friends. He always made sure they were responsible for their actions like when he demoted Swoff from lance corporal to private after he organized an unauthorized party.


Peter Sarsgaard as Corporal Alan Troy

Corporal Troy acted as Swoff’s friend and spotter. They started as roommates during training and end up working together as a team. Being a soldier is all about working together as one team and Peter Sarsgaard was brought in to fulfill this purpose. Their relationship is tested when Swoff finds out that Troy has a criminal record and is due to be discharged.

Brian Geraghty as Fergus

He is the man Swofford entrusted with watching over the camp while he threw an unauthorized party. However, he messes up and torches a tent before igniting a crate of flares. This fracas wakes up the Sergeant and Swoff ends up being demoted. Fergus was brought in to teach one important lesson; responsibility. Swoff was irresponsible when he left Fergus to cover his watch while he goes to secure unauthorized alcohol for a party. Even people in power need to take responsibility for their actions.

Laz Alonso as Ramon Escobar

Escobar represents those people who ran away from their countries in search of freedom and once they find it, they don’t take it for granted. Ramon is proud to fight for America since he was a Cuban immigrant and America gave him freedom. As a result, he decides to fight for America and he takes great pride in his work.He is also devoted to his Christian faith.

Jarhead is by far the best depiction of the Gulf War. You can learn so much about it and what soldiers go through. It gives you an insight on how war affects people. It will make you appreciate your life more.

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