Frustrating and flawed in some regards but generally a beautiful piece that has a poetic flow and a structure that feels you can walk inside it

Rating: Null/10 (13 April 2004)

In World War II, a key piece in the battle to stop Japan's advance into the Pacific area is Guadalcanal, where they have positioned an airfield. Into this battle comes the mostly young `C' company. Each man is different with his own fears and hopes, but as the battle rages, the men become less important as individuals.
First of all, let me just state that I shall not be comparing this film to Saving Private Ryan - suffice to say that, out of the two, Thin Red Line is my preference due to it's nature. Too many reviews have compared the two rather than approaching each on their own merits. What we have here is a film with a simple plot - a company of men taking part in one battle. However what Malick does with this is to create a film that is more an experience than a story. It is hard to describe but rather than watching a story unfold I felt that I was able to walk around the film and take or leave whatever I wanted - there are no big scenes, there isn't one guy we're supposed to focus on, but the end result is still mesmerising.
It is ironic that some people have complained about the lack of plot and lack of developed characters - claiming that Ryan was stronger cause it had a plot and had a collection of well defined characters. However Thin Red Line uses the men's thoughts to tell us about them and does it very well - I didn't need these men to be ethnic stereotypes or have a back story, all I needed was who they were in the situation, and that the film gave me. It gives a similar courtesy to the Japanese as well - this is not a film to watch if you want to cheer as `our boys' kick `their asses'.
It is an overused term about this film, but it is practically a poetic experience and it is easily one of the most moving and meaningful war films I have ever seen. Of course for pretty much the same reasons as it is good, it is frustrating and flawed. The images of nature and the voiceovers occasionally border on the pretentious and if you came to it looking for a solid plot with men shouting `move' and the usual macho stuff like the Dirty Dozen then I imagine that this would just irriate you - however is that the film's fault or your fault for not being open to it being different from your expectations? Yes, it does drag a couple of times in the final hour, but if you have been put in an introspective mood by the previous hour or so then this shouldn't matter. Special mention should go to a Hans Zimmer score that is perfect - it compliments the mood of the film and it adds to the film's beauty; I stayed until the end of the credits just to be able to hear more of it.
The cast is again a massive strength and a silly weakness. The weakness comes in the overcastting with big names. It is an impressive list but at times it is it's undoing with people like Travolta and Clooney just wasted and the impact of their characters lost because they are a blink and you'll miss it cameo. However the collection of 10 main actors are all very impressive regardless of their screentime - this is an ensemble film and that is what an ensemble film is about. Nolte is not always given the parts to show it but he is a fine actor - here the hurt and pain in his thoughts can be seen behind his eyes. Likewise Koteas is wonderful. He is a very fine actor and he delivers such a great character here - I wish he had more roles like this but we don't get to see the best of him as often as we should. Caviezel is very good as one of the main characters (main because we see him first), I felt his character was a little too calm but he forms a big part of the film's spiritual reflective side. Further support is strong from Cusack, Harrelson, Leto, Nelson, Reilly, Savage and others. They don't weaken it - it is only the couple of BIG names that appear for seconds as one-offs that annoy as I wondered `why bother?'
Overall, this is not a war film in the way many viewers expected it and I think that is why it is not revered in the way I think it should be. This has little plot and does not have a beginning, middle and end structure and if you expect that then this will frustrate you. It is not perfect but this is a wonderful experience where the soul is more important than action. The dialogue just about avoids being arty for arts sake and is thought provoking and haunting. If you come to this with your own expectations then you will likely be frustrated - this is a film that you must come to as a blank canvas and be open to what it tries to do. If you manage that then, for it's flaws, you will be touched and moved by one of the bravest and most beautiful war films that Hollywood has produced. In a time where the we (the UK) are at war again and are told to look at `them' and `us', this film reminds me that there is only an `us'.