The Thin Red Line (1998) (Widescreen; Sensormatic)
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User Reviews: The Thin Red Line (1998)
A war unlike any other
Pros: Cinematographical perfection, seamless editing, brilliant acting,
Cons: deviation in adaptation, more philosophical than physical
The Thin Red Line , much like the territorial divide on a map, is symbolic of the partition between natural stability and instigated battle. The picturesque shots of the foliage and fauna complimented this philosophical dispensation on the mental and physical toll warfare has on everybody directly and indirectly involved it. With no single protagonist to focus upon, Malick weaves in and out of a stellar cast to capture the apparently different but none-the-less disturbing picture these soldiers paint during the WW2.
One can see how this movie would be a disappointment to those avid war movie lovers who admire the ghory yet tastefully captured traits of combat and it follows a quasi langerous pattern , accelerating briefly and halting again to squeeze in voiceovers and breathtaking shots of nature like the green treetops and the turquoise ocean.
The Thin Red Line ultimately is an A level blend combination of award winning cinematography, eye opening performances and the talented vision of a director who did much more with Jones' book than could ever be imagined. An absolute must for those fond of war poetry of Sassoon, Owen and Sorley , who favour disorienting impact over patriotism in order to highlight the loss of life in general without taking sides.Was this review helpful? Yes - NoThrorougly evocative
A philosopical tug of war between idealism and realism during World War II. Demonstrates how difficult situations and bring out the best and worst in people; with powerful performances by Jim Caviel and Sean Penn. Fantastic cinematography and beautiful score. Highly reccommended.
Was this review helpful? Yes - Nothe thin red line
One of the best movies ever filmed in my opinion. Beautifully done, the characters, the photography, the thoughts of the characters when faced with difficult circumstances. A great movie. If you like WWII films, you'll love this one.
be coolWas this review helpful? Yes - NoGreat Movie
Great Movie!!!!!!!!!Sean Penn should have won the oscar hands down!!!!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoA great in-depth look at cowardice!!
This movie was so far from the realities of real combat and warfare that it's hard to know where to begin. As a veteran, I found this movie to be both insipid and offensive. Rather than dealing with the genuine feelings of fear and duty and how they ultimately lead to courageous behavior, this movie examines those feelings from the perspective of the detached, inexperienced pseudo-intellectual hypothesizing about feelings and motives. The only good thing I can say is that the cinematography is, at times, spectacular. Other than that, the story doesn't go anywhere, it lacks realism, and fails to make any meaningful point. By the end of this movie, I wondered why Nolte hadn't lined these guys up and shot them for cowardice in the face of the enemy.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoBig Disgrace and Waste of Time
This movie is a disgrace to the Americans and the Japanese who fought on Guadalcanal. It has no plot, you can't understand who is talking and what they're saying. The battle scenes are unrealistic. The GIs are made to look stupid and cruel and the Japanese are made to look like cowards..... which neither were.
This is an art film pretending to be a war movie. It isn't good at either.......If you like good war movies, don't waste your time or money.Was this review helpful? Yes - NoBrilliant
Brilliant Movie with Nolte,Penn,Koetes & Cavizel Giving brilliant performances.
Images that stay in your mind for ever.
This movie really explores the thoughts that go through a soldier out in war.
Unlike other war movies whose sole aim is to garner mushy patriotism by showing extreme violence & extreme patriotism by the soldiers this one shows a much more realistic approach to war without being violent.
The only ones sleeping through this one will be the ones who don't understand it.Was this review helpful? Yes - NoDifferant angle war movie
Most movies that are made about the US involvement in war, are very dramatic, very sharp and made to catch your eye with quick violent scenes. This one, however allows you, actually forces you to look at war from a much different perspective. Basically every other aspect that is effected by war, EXCEPT for the soldier personally. That's the real difference between this movie and other war movies, say Deer Hunter, Platoon and Private Ryan. It's just a different approach to the same matter that gets redone about every 4 or 5 years. Excellent acting also. I hear the book is much better than the movie.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoGood sleep inducer
I could not get through the film. Turned it off when I got an hour in and still no sign of a plot.
I have to admit there were beautiful visuals however.Was this review helpful? Yes - NoWorth Seeing!
I Love War Movies! Not a great movie, but some good acting.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoUNREAL VIEWS!!!!!!!!!
THIS WAR MOVIE IS EVEN BETER THAN "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN" IN WAYS THAT THE SETING IS NICE THE ACTING IS GOOD AND THE DIRECTION IS GOOD TOO. IF U LIKE WAR CLASSICS THIS IS UR TICKET.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoThis needs less than one star
They must have gotten a discount on nature footage. In the middle of action sequences they will randomly cut to a lizard on a rock or a monkey on a tree. About 1 hour into the "movie" I wanted to leave. At what felt like the 12 hour I litterally caught my self saying "END ALLREADY!!!". There were long monologs by characters who's voices you didn't recognize so you had no idea who was talking and what the point was. This movie was @#$&( and I'll never get those 2 1/2 hours of my life back!!!! I should sue.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoRealistic and Experimental
The Thin Red Line isn't passive entertainment. In the oft-compared Saving Private Ryan, you were completely safe in getting up to go to the restroom, purchase a soda, talk with friends, and come back and not be lost. Spielberg substituted formula for plot, stereotypes for characters, convention for filmmaking. The Thin Red Line repeated none of these mistakes.
The Thin Red Line didn't show you blown up bodies and bullets whizzing at the camera to show you what war is like, it takes you into the minds of the soldiers. The confusion, fear, ugliness and even beauty of war is not presented with expensive special effects, it is shown in the subtle performances of a host of talented actors and skillful cinematography. Many have criticized the film for wasting the talent in it. I would wholeheartedly disagree... Malick is saying war isn't about heroes, it's about surviving. It's about men like your neighbors, brothers, fathers, friends. Making Nick Nolte or Woody Harrelson or George Clooney the "star" of the film would have betrayed everything the film stood for.
The film had some flaws, but the incredible beauty and craftsmanship of The Thin Red Line, and the enormous risks to bring it to the screen more than make up for whatever faults can be found.Was this review helpful? Yes - Noworst film ever made
this movie is perhaps the worst film ever made. i want a refund. it was touted as saving private ryan revisted and yet it was the worst possible way to waste 2+ hours in a movie theatre. it had a star-studded cast that was completely wasted, and their talents not exploited in the least. the film wasn't edited. there were random shots at the sky, random trees, and a completely unexplained tribe for a good portion of the film. i wanted to shoot myself in the face three quarters of the way thorugh the film and only stayed out of morbid curiosity to see the depths to which it would sink. If you buy this movie, you are making a grave mistake and should be thrown to the wolves for your stupidity.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoThe Thin Red Line
Perhaps the most brilliant sound and lighting designs to appear in a feature film in recent history. The technical design elements of this film worked to support the strong emotional and spiritual journeys of the characters in a way not often seen in main stream studio productions.
It is refreshing to see a war movie that deals more with the emotional state of those trapped in the experience of fighting a the war. This is not a testosterone driven shoot 'em up movie... so if that is what you are looking for, keep looking. This is a touching and impelling look into the minds of the officers and enlisted men fighting on the front lines.Was this review helpful? Yes - NoThe battle for the human soul continues.
While Saving Private Ryan blew away the body, its effect of fear and its shattering depiction of the caranage of the war, The Thin Red Line blows away the soul. Its dream like essays that float like bubbles of thoughts, feelings, emotions, it acts a map of the human condition. To me it is a beautiful film, haunting, sticks in the memory, excellent ensemble acting, Sean Penn, Elias Koteas, Nick Nolte and others. Marred only by distracting cameos by Travolta and Cloony, this film is a flawed masterpiece that desreves 5 stars becuase there is nothing quite like it. The audience I saw it with were blown away, they didnt know what to make of it because it challenged them so directly. The work from a real Hollywood master.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoZZZZZZZZZZBORING!!!!!
There is no point in even watching this movie, its long, never seems to get anywhere or too the point, an all star cast that usually only appear for a few minutes in the film. Its just lame and boring i fell asleep watching it and i will everytime.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoToo long
Although this film has an all-star cast, several big names, like George Clooney only appear for 30 seconds or so in this film. Amazing action scenes and a powerful look into the emotional content of the war are excellent, although they are far too drawn out, as it stretches nearly 3 hours long! Worth a look though if your ready to think in depth about the war, but doesnt really compare to other action films, e.g. Saving Private Ryan.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoAm I asleep? I'm asleep, well if I were
If I were asleep I wouldn't be asking myself this question. This movie attempted to show the thoughts of those in battle, during battle and intense emotional and moral situations. I had a hard time sitting through the entire movie. It didn't seem to go anywhere. Maybe that was the point?? If so, 3 hours to get that point across makes for a long, drawn out waist of an afternoon.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoFANTASTIC
The best war film ever made. Better than Saving Private Ryan and I can't believe I'm saying this but it's even better than De Niro's classic The Deerhunter.
The tension and action scenes in this film are brilliant. This is a film you can watch over and over again. Plus it has a great all star cast including Britains own Ben Chaplin aka Matthew in Game On, the big De Niro fan.
A must see film.Was this review helpful? Yes - NoA masterpiece, but not for everybody...
If you are looking for a shoot-em-up movie that holds your hand throughout, stop now. This movie is not for you. If you are looking for something different, a film that peers deep into "this war in the heart of man," you will love TTRL. I have seen almost every war movie made, and this one stands alone. A remarkable work of art.
Was this review helpful? Yes - Nodeeper
Lets Face it the war in europe as history shows was more emphazied on and for good reason, as we all no Saving Private Ryan was a more recogniced, private ryan had shown the plane brutality of war, but the one thing that it lacked was the efect of moral implactions that war implies, I fell that this movie The Thin Red Line best describes what war really does to a man. And For That I feel that this was the better movie.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoThis movie is bad-ass!
Artistically, one of the best war movies ever.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoWhere's the story?
I usually give movies a chance. I watched A Thin Red Line for 2 hours, waiting for a story line to emerge. It never happened. What I saw was a huge blob of dialogue and action thrown onto tape. Nothing made sense. Just when I thought a main character might just emerge out of this mess of a film, he got killed. People may say that it is an innovative, new movie type, that takes an open mind to enjoy. I say it is a thoughless boring film passed off as art. There is no way the average person can come away from this film and say they learned something, neither can the average person identify the theme or even the main idea in this movie. That is why I pick it as one of the worst movies I have ever seen.
Was this review helpful? Yes - Nothe thin red line
I'n not going to say much except that the thin red line is one of the greatest and lushest films ever made. If the oscars are as imprtant as they are made out to be then this should of one them all. Saving Private Ryan is nothing compared to this.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoThis movie was, and was not, about war.
When I first saw TTRL, I thought it was spectacularly filmed and well written...I made the mistake though, of focusing on where the movie took place, instead of what the movie was attempting to communicate... you see, this movie appears to be about the battle for Guadacanal, but it really is about human nature and living ones life in a world full of contrasts. The taking of Guadacanal simply provided a stage on which various characters and personality types (that, just as another mentioned, exist today in your community and existed 100 years ago) were better defined and identified. The core message of the movie, in my opinion, was to exemplify the courage, cowardliness, various levels of sacrifice, caring, selfishness, greed, love and understanding/sensitivity and the lack of that existing among the soldiers on the island. Touches, such as the alligator, the bird cages and the village help drive home the contrasts and the ultimate understanding that all of the good and evil that exists is shining.
Was this review helpful? Yes - NoBrilliant
Ryan and Thin Red were released at the same time in Calcutta. Ryan went on for weeks and Thin red line well...stayed for a couple of weeks. This is not a movie for the masses.
The opening scene of rustling leaves and the long grass is brilliant - no music just fear. The soldiers don't know what is going to happen and neither does the viewer. I believe this is war. You don't know if you are going to live or die. There are scenes in Ryan which is terrific but Thin red line is brilliant all through.Was this review helpful? Yes - No
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