The Thin Red Line (1998)

Featured Audience Ratings

• moon r

  
  The WWll Battle of Guadalcanal is merely a backdrop for a look at the nature of men at a time when true nature purportedly reveals itself. Elegantly sublime and respectful, her beautiful imagery shocking because of what it takes to make us see it: somebody's got to die. There… More
  The WWll Battle of Guadalcanal is merely a backdrop for a look at the nature of men at a time when true nature purportedly reveals itself. Elegantly sublime and respectful, her beautiful imagery shocking because of what it takes to make us see it: somebody's got to die. There are no real "stars" here either, only moments all too briefly passed with faces we only begin to glimpse and then they're gone, all of us on a scary ride to who knows where.

• paul s

  
  somehow this surrealistic rumination on nature (both phyical and psychological)manages to become the most real of war films. All of the grass level filming, where you can't really see the enemy... claustrophic and metaphoric at the same time. This is the zen of war - the film… More
  somehow this surrealistic rumination on nature (both phyical and psychological)manages to become the most real of war films. All of the grass level filming, where you can't really see the enemy... claustrophic and metaphoric at the same time. This is the zen of war - the film really puts you right there, letting you see all the casualties and conflicts and letting you decide which path you would take if you were "enlisted". Fine performances abound, and I found Nick Nolte's Colonel Tall to be an awesome portrayal. 14 years have passed with this film, and I found it fun to see all the actors who just "show up" in cameo roles, like John Travolta and George Clooney. My only real complaints about this film have to do with pacing and length. At 3 hours, there certainly was ample opportunity for some judicious editing (many a scene, especially the flashbacks and more surreal material, could have been shortened) - which would have given a tighter narrative; but even that wouldn't have covered the big "breather" that the film takes about 3/4 of the way through. After the hill is taken and Charly Co returns to base camp, the film loses all momentum dealing with the aftermath of the campaign, which makes the then repositioning of the company up river under new and incompetent command, seem a superflous tag - a feeling compounded by the sacrifice made by the film's narrator and "soul". Better if the film would have left out this portion of the film entirely and cut to the company leaving Guadacanal on the LCV. Yet, in spite of these obvious missteps, the film is compelling, and its ruminations on the origin of evil and mankind's loss of harmony make this film a must see.

• Raymond W

  
  Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line is a complex, intense, intimate, humbling, moving, and powerful portrayal of war and the moral chaos of war. Although at times hard to follow the storyline, and hard to keep track of who is who and why they are doing what they are doing, The… More
  Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line is a complex, intense, intimate, humbling, moving, and powerful portrayal of war and the moral chaos of war. Although at times hard to follow the storyline, and hard to keep track of who is who and why they are doing what they are doing, The Thin Red Line is a captivating, beautifully shot and superbly acted war film.

• Brad W

  
  The Thin Red Line was the first masterpiece that Terrence Malick had created, and to this day i wish I could discover what was going through this incredible directors head to make such a personal and incredible film. The movie is mainly a war movie, but it is also a movie that tells… More
  The Thin Red Line was the first masterpiece that Terrence Malick had created, and to this day i wish I could discover what was going through this incredible directors head to make such a personal and incredible film. The movie is mainly a war movie, but it is also a movie that tells many different stories about many different soldiers who's lives have been affected by war. I found this to be a incredibly intense and realistic war movie, also i discovered it was released in 1997 so I'm guessing that must have been the year for great war films with this and Saving Private Ryan. The story is based on the book by James Jones and follows a large group of soldiers and their experiences with world War II. But it mainly follows their mission to secure a hill held by the Japanese. This battle was called the Battle of Mount Austen and this is a depiction of the soldiers experiences during the battle. The plot is one of the greatest and most incredible plot lines to a war film I have ever seen. Saving Private Ryan is my favorite war film of all time, but on terms of story I would say this is much greater in characterization and showing the true nature of a soldier. Saving private Ryan was better in plot and realism, but that is not to say I did not think this film had a bad plot. In fact it has a truly incredible storyline and was very realistic, but its true genius is in the characters and their different experiences they have and I just simply loved it. There is something very special about this story, something deep they are trying to teach us about the nature of the human soldier, and I learned very much about them from this incredible masterpiece. The cast is a huge list of incredible performances and their really is no main actor because they all have their equal screen time and each did a incredible job. Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, James Caviezel, Woody Harrelson, George Clooney, John C. Reilly, John Cusack, Ben Chaplin, john Travolta, Nick Nolte, Tim Blake Nelson, and the rest of them were all incredible in my eyes and highly memorable. It actually is a pretty special thing that I am able to remember each character with their being such a huge cast, and that shows true greatness. The war scenes shown were incredibly realistic and made this one of my favorite war films of all time. They do not use constant explosions to make this some weird Michael Bay war film that is cheesy and just their for cash. Terrence Malick works hard to make this a realistic and as close a depiction to the Battle of Mount Austen as possible. I simply loved the beauty and genius put into each scene. The music is honestly one of the greatest scores of all time. Almost this entire film has just incredible music to lead on this story and its incredible characters. During the war scenes it felt as if I was watching a moving painting due to the art of the music and everything else, just simply beautiful. The Thin Red Line is a film that is impossible to describe in a few words if you ask me. If you asked me what its about I will tell have to go on for like 5 minutes to describe the beauty and how it differs from other war films. This is not a movie just trying to give us a good time, its a movie trying to get a important point across to us. I believe that the point is that being a soldier will change you, it will teach you respect, the value of life, and the nature of true war. It is a magical film in a way, I just cannot explain the pure beauty in each scene, the genius in the characters, and incredible direction from a man who has shown us a war film that has never been done before.

• Jeff "

  
  Considering that this is a war film set during the Second World War, you'd think that The Thin Red Line would be a sweeping epic with grand battles and that it would have a great story. Unfortunately despite the sweeping visuals, Terrence Malick just can't deliver with this… More
  Considering that this is a war film set during the Second World War, you'd think that The Thin Red Line would be a sweeping epic with grand battles and that it would have a great story. Unfortunately despite the sweeping visuals, Terrence Malick just can't deliver with this one. I was greatly disappointed with The Thin Red Line. The film, despite the fact that it had stunning visuals, really didn't have anything to offer the viewer. Terrence Malick goes for a visual sense of telling the story with minimal dialogue, and unfortunately, it doesn't work, and The Thin Red Line ends up being a boring film with barely any character development or an effective plot development. The fact that it's a three hour film, and that it has nothing to offer considering the fact that the film is a war film set in the Pacific is a great disappointment. If you're expecting a grand war film with great characters, a stunning plot and a constant sense of dread, like with every other war film as the character try to survive their ordeal; you won't get that here. This film is too long, it takes a long time for anything interesting to happen, and there's barely anything good about this film. The film could have been great, instead it's a disappointment. Terrence Malick is a great director, unfortunately The Thin Red Line isn't really engaging, and you lose interest because the film is stuck in first gear and doesn't go anywhere. If you're looking for a great war film, The Thin Red Line isn't that film. Watch Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan or Full Metal Jacket instead. This is simply a boring film trying to be a great war film, and it misses the mark on so many levels.

• Richard C

  
  A great war movie. This is the second movie I've seen by Terrence Malick (first being the tree of life which I like a little bit better). I really enjoyed this movie and it's portrayal of war. Entertaining and thought provoking. I thought it was a little too long but… More
  A great war movie. This is the second movie I've seen by Terrence Malick (first being the tree of life which I like a little bit better). I really enjoyed this movie and it's portrayal of war. Entertaining and thought provoking. I thought it was a little too long but it's still a great movie Grade: A-

• Matthew S

  
  This is a war movie that doesn't care about "the game" or which side is left standing. Its focus is on "the light" in each man who witnesses the violence. Through their spoken inner thoughts, we see the devastating spiritual toll on the "children"… More
  This is a war movie that doesn't care about "the game" or which side is left standing. Its focus is on "the light" in each man who witnesses the violence. Through their spoken inner thoughts, we see the devastating spiritual toll on the "children" following orders and the ways they live with it.

• Kalel J

  
  Pondering destruction; Terrence Malick's film of war is of a war between man and his own demise and creator. As an example of the horrors and tragedy involved, it is an obvious anti-war film, heavily highlighting its director's eye for exterior beauty with an underlying… More
  Pondering destruction; Terrence Malick's film of war is of a war between man and his own demise and creator. As an example of the horrors and tragedy involved, it is an obvious anti-war film, heavily highlighting its director's eye for exterior beauty with an underlying ripping of the soul. Destructions of compassion, love, feeling, and purpose are the concerns on display in a war with no path and soldiers losing the humanity that nature once gave to them.

• Liam G

  
  Terrence Malick's ''The Thin Red Line' is an emotionally riveting experience. Not only are the gritty battle scenes shockingly realistic, but the film is one of the best depictions of war I've seen. It's less about the conflict between two sides and more… More
  Terrence Malick's ''The Thin Red Line' is an emotionally riveting experience. Not only are the gritty battle scenes shockingly realistic, but the film is one of the best depictions of war I've seen. It's less about the conflict between two sides and more about the clash of war and nature. The emotional connection you have with all these characters is quite incredible and with great performances from all members of the ensemble cast and Malick's sublime direction, this effort ultimately is a truly powerful experience.

• Emile T

  
  Would have needed a bit more narrative structure, but otherwise, this is a passion piece of poetic beauty and philosophical depths in the middle of a horrific context.

• David L

  
  After a 20 year absence, writer director Terrence Malick made a triumphant return with a film that is an evolution of the style we saw in his first two films, Badlands and Days of Heaven. Where these two films were specific stories told in a surreal and subjective way, this movie is a… More
  After a 20 year absence, writer director Terrence Malick made a triumphant return with a film that is an evolution of the style we saw in his first two films, Badlands and Days of Heaven. Where these two films were specific stories told in a surreal and subjective way, this movie is a much more of a meditation of war, with no real climax, just a series of interconnecting events. The focus of the story shifts across a series of characters, but starts and finishes with Private Witt, played in an understated, subtle and totally captivating way by James Caviezel. There are also good performances from various characters that move in and out of the story, the most notable being yet more impressively understated performances by Sean Penn, Ben Chaplin and Elias Koteas. Other characters come and go, with a Nick Nolte offering a more visceral, aggressive but still absorbing performance as Major Tall. Other characters have nothing more than extended cameos, coming and going briefly, the most obvious ones being John Cusack, John Travolta, Woody Harrelson, Adrian Brody(who doesn't utter a word of dialogue in the movie!) and George Clooney. It is impressive to see Malick working with these actors to keep their performances very grounded and subtle, but totally absorbing. This is mainly due to Malick's supreme skills as a visual storyteller, and it is clear that he has lost none of his skill despite this 20 year break. He composes scenes with long duration shots that involve a lot of improvisation, and he requires his actors to tell a lot of the story with expressions, using significant amounts of voice-over that is clearly added later and also improvised. The telling of this very emotionally and psychologically involving story is hugely assisted by some tremendous technical contributions. John Toll's photography, Jack Fisk's production design and Hans Zimmer's score (which seems to have been composed as a series of suites rather that to specific cues in the action) all have huge positive impacts on the film, and take the experience of watching it to another level. While the film deals with war, Malick's approach to the violence is tactful and diplomatic, but still visceral. While the film has long stretches of characters mediating, philosophising and reflecting on their experiences these sequences never drag and the action sequences, when they come, are brilliantly directed, technically amazing, and hugely involving emotionally, making you feel what the characters are going through, rather than a more detached view of 'that was a big explosion!'. There is some tremendous crane and Steadicam work ( the latter by Brad Shield), and it shows that Malick is one of those few directors who understand how to use these camera processes in a way that integrates it into the storytelling, rather than as a problem solving tool to shoot certain sequences, or to show off to the audience. The only other director who uses these approaches this effectively was the late Stanley Kubrick. There are some interesting inferences made in the film. There seems to be this subtext of the spirituality of life, as shown by the capacity of the wonderfully created natural environment to create harmony and peace, the more caring characters' appreciation of the natural environment, and the care of that some of the characters have for each other, including Captain Staros(played by Elias Koteas), and most notably the Private Witt character, who undergoes a transcendental experience through the story - there seems to a spiritual parallel here; and the questioning of the reason for this nonsensical violence by the some of the characters. Fascinatingly this is contrasted with the more brutal aspects of nature such as the fact that humankind is instigating violence on its own species. The selfish, personal motivations of Lt Colonel Tall's determination to achieve (who is driving the instigation of the violence, and points out his prospective brutal interpretation of nature during the film), the selfish barbarism of some of the US soldiers on their Japanese prisoners, and the individualistic motivation of the Mirando Otto's character towards her husband, played by Ben Chaplin, while he is bravely battling at the front. These 'Ying' and 'Yang' elements in the story seem to balance out very well, but even the characters who survive this story, all have scars to bear at the end. The only character who reaches inner peace and enlightenment is Witt, who of course despite his bravery and calm in the face of battle is essentially a compassionate pacifist. These subtexts, as well as the tremendous polished nature of the filmmaking, means that providing you are patient, you will have a terrific experience watching this film. Furthermore you will still be thinking about the themes raised in this film long after you have finished watching it. Overall, a wonderful experience from a genius of a filmmaker.

• Reid V

  
  "No man knows the wellsprings of love and hate, but we all know the depths of their consequences." For my money, Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line is the best and most honest film about war ever made. This isn't an anti-war film in the vein of Stone's… More
  "No man knows the wellsprings of love and hate, but we all know the depths of their consequences." For my money, Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line is the best and most honest film about war ever made. This isn't an anti-war film in the vein of Stone's Platoon, or a Spielbergesque celebration of the men who epitomized Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation." It is a reflection on the role of violence in a world replete with beauty. Malick's film doesn't assign blame. For him evil is perception, evil is amorphous, evil just is. He does not exploit the glory some men find in war. He shows that war is not a place where men are made. But rather war is a place where valor wears thin and medals are merely consolation prizes. I apologize if I am being too verbose, but this film defies a brief explanation and I am only scratching the surface of all that this film has to offer. Malick brilliantly wavers between the macabre and the serene. His camera sweeps in and out of battle scenes which really captures the intensity of the war. It also stops to take a look around. Drinking in the breathtaking landscapes that the war will soon ravage. It also uses Malick's signature voice over narration to great effect especially in the scene when the Americans invade a Japanese village. The film is accompanied by an amazing score by Hans Zimmer. Zimmer's score isn't overly ornate. It serves to build the already growing tension and is eerily absorbing. While I could sit here and extol all of the virtues of this film, it is something that needs to be experienced because it will leave an indelible mark on the viewer's mind.

• Conner R

  
  I have now seen this over three times and I finally feel like I have come to understand what is being said. Now this was my first exposure to Terrence Malick, so it was hard to see past the endless voice-overs and overload of ensemble characters. Now I still say that I have problems… More
  I have now seen this over three times and I finally feel like I have come to understand what is being said. Now this was my first exposure to Terrence Malick, so it was hard to see past the endless voice-overs and overload of ensemble characters. Now I still say that I have problems with those two elements, but even with that, this is one of the most unique war films out there. It focuses more on the futility of the war, rather than tagging along with one central character and fitting in a giant arch of character development. We see characters enter and leave this movie at almost an alarming speed. This reinforces the concept of how many people, not just nameless men, lost their lives. It also manages to be more of what we would traditionally see as a Vietnam war movie rather than a WWII movie. It couldn't be more different from its contemporaries in both style and format. As with all of Malick's projects, this is beautiful beyond belief. After a while the grass became a character rather than just a backdrop. What really makes this movie great for me in terms of acting is Sean Penn. He maybe has around forty minutes of screen time maximum, but manages to be one of the most complex and captivating characters that the genre has to offer. Now I'm probably one of the select few who doesn't ogle over Jim Caviezel's performance as Witt, but the character was just too one dimensional for me. In many ways it is the most accurately structured war movie ever done because there is no real beginning or ending, we just get a selection of this period of fighting. Now The Thin Red Line is still not my favorite war movie, but it happens to be a whole lot closer now.

• Coxxie M

  
  If someone tells you that George Clooney is in this movie, they are a moron. Yes, he is IN the movie. but do you remember that? a bad aftertaste is no doubt included in a chocolate covered cherry but is that what people mention when they talk about chocolate covered cherries? About a… More
  If someone tells you that George Clooney is in this movie, they are a moron. Yes, he is IN the movie. but do you remember that? a bad aftertaste is no doubt included in a chocolate covered cherry but is that what people mention when they talk about chocolate covered cherries? About a hundred people in the world know who the actor Elias Koteas is. guess what? he has the largest part in this movie.

• Steven C

  
  "The Thin Red Line" is the war film that all other war films think they are. Terrence Malick relishes in his juxtapositional narrative and John Toll's cinematography is some of the most breathtaking, surreal and supportive I have ever seen. What makes this such an… More
  "The Thin Red Line" is the war film that all other war films think they are. Terrence Malick relishes in his juxtapositional narrative and John Toll's cinematography is some of the most breathtaking, surreal and supportive I have ever seen. What makes this such an unforgettable experience is that while it's working within the context of World War II it's not a film about World War II. This is a film about nature, life, death and human crisis. "The Thin Red Line" is also one of the more effective anti-war films around. Not as decided as say, "Grand Illusion," but certainly resonant in it's own right. This is not a film for everyone. If you want a flag waving, bravo war picture, "Saving Private Ryan" will do the trick (obviously, since that film overshadowed almost every aspect of "The Thin Red Line" when both were released in 1998). But if you are looking for a cerebral, pensive and deeply complex film about humanity (a more contemporary sibling would be "The Hurt Locker") "The Thin Red Line" is for you. You won't find anything ever quite like it.

• Tim S

  
  One of the best war films ever made without even really being about war. People tend to call it pretensious, and I guess it is in a way. But its point is driven home in the final moments of the film, in my opinion. I await the day when the near 6 hour cut of the film will be seen… More
  One of the best war films ever made without even really being about war. People tend to call it pretensious, and I guess it is in a way. But its point is driven home in the final moments of the film, in my opinion. I await the day when the near 6 hour cut of the film will be seen by the world.

• paul o

  
  Personally, I felt that this movie was more of an endurance test than an actual movie. Sure there was wonderful monologue from Jim Caviziel and Nick Nolte, but in the end Terrance Malick does not grab my attention with his 3 hour epic.

• Mark W

  
  After making "Badlands" in 1973 and "Days of Heaven" in 1978 (both to critical acclaim), Terrence Malick just disappeared from Hollywood but after 20 years and the masterpiece that is "The Thin Red Line", it's a real pleasure to have him back. Based… More
  After making "Badlands" in 1973 and "Days of Heaven" in 1978 (both to critical acclaim), Terrence Malick just disappeared from Hollywood but after 20 years and the masterpiece that is "The Thin Red Line", it's a real pleasure to have him back. Based on the WWII novel of the same name by James Jones, the story isn't linear but more fragmented and focusing on particular soldiers in the division of 'Charlie Company' and the struggle throughout their attempt to gain land against the Japanese at the island of Guadalcanal in 1943. There is no main character, rather a collection of them, with their own personal philosophical ponderings and monologues on life, death, god, creation and the cruelty of nature which reflects their own struggle during the war and the brutality they have been thrust into. As Sean Penn's weary Sgt. says: "What difference d'you think you can make? One man in all this madness?", or Jim Caviezal's ethereal Pvt: "Maybe all men got one big soul everybody's a part of, all faces are the same man." Even the likes of Gary Oldman, Viggo Mortensen and Mickey Rourke ended up on the cutting-room-floor and not getting a look-in with the impressive ensemble of actors. However, this is a film without any movie-stars, despite the names involved. John Travolta, John Cusack and George Clooney appear and disappear, reduced to mere cameo appearances and the likes of Adrian Brody and John C. Reilly hardly get a word to say. The cast alone shows the clout and attraction that Malick still has after being absent for decades. All these faces, among many others, coming and going all add to the confusion of war and several long, dialogue-free scenes, paint a dreamlike quality to the film. Malick is methodical in his direction but still very capable of handling explosive battle scenes and conveying the torture and terror of the soldiers' suffering amongst the carnage, aided no end by John Toll's gorgeous, visually striking cinematography. This modern masterpiece was shamefully overlooked come award season and over-shadowed by "Saving Private Ryan" on it's release - which is unfair, as they are very different films and this is just as good, if not better, than Spielbergs take. It's a poetic war film, if that were ever possible. A rich, meditative and complete work of verbal and visual artistry. Simply superb.

• Dan S

  
  An overall impressive although flawed war film which contains a cynical approach to the subject. It's a theme that has been covered by many before, but Malick does a simply outstanding job bringing out the beauty of his settings. Although it definitely meanders, especially during… More
  An overall impressive although flawed war film which contains a cynical approach to the subject. It's a theme that has been covered by many before, but Malick does a simply outstanding job bringing out the beauty of his settings. Although it definitely meanders, especially during its last half hour, and some of the characters (it's definitely overpopulated - no doubt about it) are only briefly touched on instead of fleshed out more, the film's strengths outweigh its weaknesses. In addition to it's striking cinematography, the film contains several great performances (Penn, Nolte, and Caviezel most notably) as well as a soaring music score that complements its epic scope well. It's long, definitely a little too long, but the stunning battle scenes are definitely compelling - although this film is still really a little brother to say, "Saving Private Ryan".

• Anthony L

  
  The long awaited return of Terrence Malick and it was well worth the wait! This is an excellent war film!

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