Amazon Prime is one of the world’s premiere streaming services, sharing a space at the top of the market with the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Discovery+. Given its position, it’s not immune to user criticism. One recent issue with Prime was related to Full Metal Jacket (1987), with the outcry turning into widespread backlash online. The reason? The “Born to Kill” phrase on the film’s official poster.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Full Metal Jacket follows US Marine Pvt. J.T. “Joker” Davis across his service in the Vietnam War, from his enlistment and boot camp, to his deployment overseas. Through him, the audience bears witness to not only the brutal nature of the conflict, but also how it impacted the psyche of those who served.
Since its release in 1987, the film has garnered a cult following, largely thanks to its realistic portrayal of the combat conditions in Vietnam. As such, fans were excited to see the release appear on Amazon Prime. However, upon closer inspection of the entry, an unusual change was noted as having been made to the movie poster.
“Born to Kill,” which had been scrawled on the helmet, was absent; it had been erased from the graphic.
Who decided to remove “BORN TO KILL?” Not only did they alter a piece of iconic art by Philip Castle, but they completely misunderstood the point of it being there. Pvt. Joker wears the helmet with “BORN TO KILL” and the peace ☮️ button as a statement about “the duality of man.” pic.twitter.com/9XQwINJj4l
— Matthew Modine (@MatthewModine) June 18, 2024
This immediately caused outrage among users, with the backlash becoming such that star Matthew Modine chimed in, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “Who decided to remove “BORN TO KILL?” Not only did they alter a piece of iconic art by Philip Castle, but they completely misunderstood the point of it being there.”
It’s for the latter reason that people are so upset. As Modine explains, “Pvt. Joker wears the helmet with ‘BORN TO KILL’ and the peace button as a statement about ‘the duality of man.'” Essentially, it shows the two parts of him: the US Marine (“Born to Kill”) and the pacifist (the peace sign).
According to Deadline, Warner Bros., which is responsible for Full Metal Jacket‘s distribution in the United States, has requested that Amazon return the poster to its original state, “Born to Kill” included.
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The preview for the film on Prime has since been changed from the poster to an in-movie still. Notably, “Born to Kill” is centered and readable on Pvt. Joker’s helmet.