The Best Movie War Faces

 In honor of R. Lee Ermey’s death today, we look back at his most iconic role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. His foul-mouthed portrayal of a Parris Island drill sergeant was the highlight of the first half of the film. One of his signature lines is in the memorable “Show Me Your War Face” scene :

Today we pay homage to this unappreciated element in combat movies: The War Face. Made famous by R. Lee Ermey in Stanley Kubrick’s extremely quotable Vietnam era epic Full Metal Jacket, the war face is an integral part of big screen battles. Here are some of the very best examples, to help Private Joker figure it out.

Tom Cruise in Taps

When seizing control of a military academy, a hotheaded cadet manning a M-60 is a must. It’s beautiful, man.

Nick Nolte in The Thin Red Line

Nolte’s perpetually perturbed Colonel Tall is obsessed with taking a hill in Terrence Malik’s uneven WW II meditation.

The Channel Four News Team in Anchorman

News team rumbles can be brutal. Don’t forget your trident.

Lee Marvin in The Dirty Dozen

One of cinema’s true tough guys had himself an awesome scary war face.

Barry Pepper in Saving Private Ryan

Gun aimed. Mouth open. Primal scream. Hooah!

Mel Gibson in Braveheart

Gibson may have gone looney tunes in recent years, but this flick still kicks copious amounts of ass.

Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove

It doesn’t get much better than Pickens riding a nuke on the eve of doomsday.

Animal Mother in Full Metal Jacket

Two words: Animal Mother. Two more: Get some.

Jack Black in Tropic Thunder

Jack Black playing a drug addicted actor playing a character named Fats. That is all.

Ah-nold in Conan the Barbarian

Long before he was banging beastly maids while Governor of California, Ah-nold was banging steel.

Vasquez in Aliens

Gotta include a chick. She’s a manly chick, but a chick nonetheless.

Sly Stallone in Rambo

C’mon, it’s Rambo. He bleeds red, white and blue.

The Kurgan in Highlander

There can be only one. Screw Connor MacLeod.

Sam Worthington in Avatar

Now, that’s a war face. Bonus points for the paint.

Gerard Butler in 300

Leonidas, King of Sparta. Any questions?