Review of The Thin Red Line (1998) by Brett H — 16 Feb 2015
Terrence Malick's return to filmmaking after a 20-year hiatus is beautifully filmed and expertly choreographed, but missing that one element to make me want to revisit it ever again. The film is way too long and runs out of steam after the climactic battle, and the philosophical babble about war never landed for me.
The cast is friggin outstanding with many A-listers in bit-parts and up-and-comers in more central roles, Elias Koteas and Nick Nolte being the highlights. The battle sequences are straight-up amazing, the camera weaving in between the carnage like a dance that impressed me beyond measure.
The award-winning music is used to great effect and the main song "Journey to the Line" has been used in pop culture for dramatic heft ever since. Malick presented an engaging war drama that even though had production issues and Malick himself re-wrote the script so many times that prominent actors' parts were reduced or completely cut out; it's stood the test of time and excels in its realistic battle sequences.
This review of The Thin Red Line (1998) was written by Brett H on 16 Feb 2015.
The Thin Red Line has generally received very positive reviews.
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