An excellent, and extremely thought-provoking war movie with fine performances by all the cast.

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 1999)

Being someone who does not often get (or make) the opportunities to see more thought-provoking, cerebral, philosophical type of movies, I found this movie extremely refreshing after a constant diet of the run-of-the-mill cliched Hollywood action-movies. I enjoyed the performances of all the cast, particularly James Caviezel as Witt, a soldier who contemplates the contradictions of war. Terrence Malick manages to use the action only as a vehicle to explore the emotions and thoughts of the numerous characters who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances for which no one can prepare.
Probably the thing that grabbed me the most (admittedly speaking as someone who has not seen many war movies) was the fear portrayed by the soldiers. It's nice to see that soldiers aren't the Arnie, Bruce Willis' or Jean Claudes Hollywood likes us to believe they are. All the soldiers were s***-scared, just as they should be!
Well worth seeing (esp. if you like to think), and the type of movie worth seeing again and again in order to fully appreciate it.