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The Thin Red Line Reviews

1998

60
from 13,435 members

Terrence Malick returns to Hollywood after a two-decade hiatus with this adaptation of the classic WWII novel by James Jones. The story follows the efforts of an army platoon to capture the Japanese-controlled island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific Ocean, which will have a major effect on the outcome of the war. The members of C-.. Read more

Starring	Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, James Caviezel, John Cusack
Director	Terrence Malick
Genres	Action/Adventure, Drama

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Critic's review of The Thin Red Line
View all critics' reviews (6)
- A ruminative war movie, with much voice-over, and often depending for its viewpoint on sound and the visual contrast between the lush landscapes and the mess the soldiers make of it. War is seen as an aberration, an intrusion on a natural paradise.
- 30325
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:38
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of The Thin Red Line
View all members' reviews (110)
- - 47
  - 5
  The thinking man's war film
  
  Not all war films are about blood and guts. But in most of the best it is a major component. This film mixes it with the best and is as good, if not better at ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 10257
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - james robinson
  - Ashbourne, England
  - 12 Jul 2004 at 13:17
Most recent members' reviews of The Thin Red Line
View all members' reviews (110)
- - 1
  - 1
  The Thickest Line Of Boredom
  
  What a load of tripe, I mean come on, you watch a war film not for one mans whine about the horrors of war, and not to feel like you morally bankrupt for ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1082228
- - MancScientist
  - 5 reviews
  - Manchester
  - 15 Jan 2012 at 18:34
- - 0
  - 3
  A state of nature versus a state of war
  
  Considering that Terrence Malik has made so few films in his career it is amazing that he achieves such beautiful images. You would think he would be a bit ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1053630
- - Zamy
  - 546 reviews
  - London
  - 21 Oct 2011 at 10:45
- - 1
  - 2
  The sesitive side of soldiers
  
  This is one of the best films about World War II or any other war that I've ever seen. It is moving and poignant.Stunning camera work shot with some very ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1024479
- - BillyH
  - 6 reviews
  - Richmond
  - 02 Aug 2011 at 16:02
- - 1
  - 3
  Boring & senseless
  
  Uneven & Rambling dull, dreary and boring. Brilliant cast I was expecting so much more. I found the storyline difficult to follow, narration difficult to ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1018293
- - a customer
  - 17 Jul 2011 at 11:39
- - 0
  - 0
  Better Than the [series] Pacific!
  
  For all those people who loved Band of Brothers and were sorely disappointed by the series Pacific, this is all you need to watch to improve on it. In fact tell... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 987667
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Kinkyfish
  - 85 reviews
  - York, England
  - 30 Apr 2011 at 19:31
- - 0
  - 10
  Very poor
  
  I was so disappointed with this film, it drags on and seemed far too dull unfortunately. It has a great cast, just a shame about the delivery.
  
  Report this review
- 959932
- - Jameo82
  - 2 reviews
  - London
  - 02 Feb 2011 at 15:12
- - 3
  - 0
  Not just a war film, profound in the extreme.
  
  This is not a war film, although at first you may think so, war is just one page in its book. I have reviewed this film wherever I can and many times, I cannot ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 950236
- - Onlylexus
  - 119 reviews
  - Chesterfield
  - 02 Jan 2011 at 00:50
- - 0
  - 13
  The Thin Red Line Details 1998
  
  Film to long to start with, do not like talk over the film music drowned out some parts of the film, not enough action.
  
  Report this review
- 928753
- - a customer
  - somerset
  - 04 Oct 2010 at 09:33
- - 1
  - 5
  Very disappointing...
  
  This film did not live up to our expectations at all. The cinematography was good, it has been shot well but that's about it! There is a distinct lack of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 926138
- - Tonigo
  - 1 review
  - Surbiton
  - 23 Sep 2010 at 22:07
- - 0
  - 2
  Good cast, "Isn't War Stupid" theme
  
  Not a film I'd watch again, too obvious. As it says in the poem - Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do & die, Charge of the Light Brigade - ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 915041
- - a customer
  - Aberdare
  - 16 Aug 2010 at 10:29
View all members' reviews (110)

- - 47
  - 5
  The thinking man's war film
  
  Not all war films are about blood and guts. But in most of the best it is a major component. This film mixes it with the best and is as good, if not better at ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 10257
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - james robinson
  - Ashbourne, England
  - 12 Jul 2004 at 13:17
- - 19
  - 3
  War is hell etc etc
  
  It may be slightly pretentious, a little bit too long and mildly flawed but this is still one of the greatest films of all time.
  
  A swoon of a film ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 306050
- - luckybleeder
  - brighton
  - 04 Jul 2004 at 22:12
- - 20
  - 10
  The film that wouldn't end
  
  Dull, overlong (by about an hour), confusing and entirely without focus.
  
  There are many themes that a war film can look at, and this epic attempts to... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 308603
- - Cuirassier
  - West Yorks
  - 01 Sep 2004 at 00:21
- - 13
  - 2
  An underated film with a haunting message
  
  A great film.
  
  It's a war film but not, its a film about the coming of age and the testing the metal of men. Its a film about the futility of war... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 341257
- - ileonc
  - Berkshire
  - 19 Jul 2005 at 14:56
- - 12
  - 7
  Poetry in motion
  
  If you are looking for a war film full of unrelenting action and macho posturing then this isn?t for you. Terrence Malick is a man who uses sweeping panoramic ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 7850
- - Clucky
  - Cardiff, Wales
  - 17 Jun 2004 at 14:31
- - 10
  - 4
  Each Man Fights his own War
  
  A powerful and poetic movie, The Thin Red Line is my favourite movie of all time.
  
  A study of war, love, mortality and the bonds that develop in war, ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 8013
- - a customer
  - UK
  - 20 Jun 2004 at 19:19
- - 17
  - 15
  This movie is so ...
  
  This movie is so indulgent (to the director) and so slow to tell its story that it is impossible
  
  for me to like it. I also found that none of the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 27974
- - Guildoon#1
  - LONDON
  - 11 Feb 2004 at 18:58
- - 8
  - 2
  One of the five or ten best war films ever made
  
  From the opening compositions to the drifting observational shots of the conclusion, this is a film that fully deserves the label "cinematic masterpiece&... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 308197
- - scribeoflight
  - Monmouthshire
  - 24 Aug 2004 at 15:54
- - 6
  - 2
  Is this a war film????
  
  This is not a war film..... it is an arthouse film, or trying to be atleast. The images of grotesque war and the bloody nature of humanity are put into contrast... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 418336
- - a customer
  - England
  - 08 Mar 2007 at 19:54
- - 6
  - 3
  Terrence Mallick
  
  What a work of genius, as the camera sways through the burma grass fields, you swerve through the spirituality of the movie itself, it leaves you in an hypnotic... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 306134
- - Corleone
  - berks
  - 06 Jul 2004 at 11:22

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Critics' reviews
- A ruminative war movie, with much voice-over, and often depending for its viewpoint on sound and the visual contrast between the lush landscapes and the mess the soldiers make of it. War is seen as an aberration, an intrusion on a natural paradise.
- 30325
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:38
- "...[Malick's] intoxication with natural beauty, fused so palpably with the psychic sleepwalking of his human characters, remains exactly as it was....Here is a visceral reminder of all that made his past work so hauntingly majestic..."
- 7897
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...Terrence Malick's first movie since 1978's DAYS OF HEAVEN is just as sensual, subliminally stirring and magnificently photographed..." -- 4 out of 4 stars
- 7901
- - USA Today
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...Malick's return is a cause for celebration. His harsh, haunting film shuns the platitudes to expose war as a crime against nature..."
- 7898
- - Rolling Stone
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- We're unlikely to see a more extraordinary Hollywood movie in 1999 than Malick's masterpiece, a stunning piece of work... read more on Time Out
- 43475
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:13
- "...An extraordinary achievement....THE THIN RED LINE is hugely effective as a film about the absurdity of war..."
- 7899
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- The Thin Red Line - Blu-ray
  
  Terrence Malick returns to Hollywood after a two-decade hiatus with this adaptation of the classic WWII novel by James Jones. The story follows the efforts of an army platoon to capture the Japanese-controlled island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific Ocean, which will have a major effect on the outcome ...

- - Buy
- The Thin Red Line
  
  Terrence Malick returns to Hollywood after a two-decade hiatus with this adaptation of the classic WWII novel by James Jones. The story follows the efforts of an army platoon to capture the Japanese-controlled island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific Ocean, which will have a major effect on the outcome ...