excellent

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 1999)

By far one of the best movies ever made. Stunning cinematography, excellent acting. The decision to have the main characters played by less well-known actors was also brilliant - had John Travolta or Sean Penn played the part of Witt, it would have become an entirely different movie. I have to agree with what someone else wrote: you will either love or hate this film. Some have said there was no characterization - look deeper. Yes, characterization on film is often achieved through trite, simple narrative and stereotypes, and maybe that's what some want, but what makes the characterization in this film so effective is that it is subtle. You learn as much as necessary from an expression on someone's face or the way he reacts to battle. In writing, the motto is "show, don't tell", and this is what Malick has done. It's an absolutely amazing movie, and in 100 years or so when AFI does another Top 100 list, it'll be on it.