Thin Red Line, The

USA 1998, 164 minutes
Dir. Terrence Malick
Rating: [M]
Genres: Action/Adventure / War

Feat. Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Elias Koteas, Jim Caviezel

Aroview: A studiously arthouse rendition of WWII, isolating a crucial battle of the Pacific campaign (Guadacanal) as a minutely observed microcosm of humanity at war.

Director/Recluse Terrence Malick and his platoon of acting greats enact frightening combat scenes that tighten the nerves, but also slow, soul-searching montages through the incongruous tropical splendour. Un-bombastic, with many of what seem like bonafide American heroes turning out to be rather slippery individuals or fools, this subverts all of the myths of the war-machine. Propaganda for the mind.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Very Good). Showing 1-3 of 3 member reviews.

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5 stars (Exceptional) ~Anon
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4 stars (Very Good) The poetic, philosophical flip-side to Saving Private Ryan's pandering hero-myths: for all its action, the emphasis is on spiritual conflict, a bold gambit for a big studio picture. A mixed bag but truly unique and beautifully crafted. ~fairbrother
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3 stars (Good Enough) At Malick length, the screenplay does require patience (as do some of the characters) but there are some excellent segments that should carry you through to the next excellent segment. The battle scenes lean toward authenticity & are mainly well done. ~Tubbs