Could this have been better?

Rating: 7/10 (31 December 1998)

I don't have so much as a comment on this film as a question. Like a lot of Malick's fans I was a little disappointed by this film. There was too much over-reliance on voice-over and flashbacks and yet so much was truly effective, from the great acting (the dynamics between Nolte/Koteas and Penn/Caviezel were terrific) to the cinematography to Hans Zimmer's perfectly brooding score. I've heard from critics and from actors who were in the film that the version being shown is somewhat cut. Does anyone know if there was a longer or different version intended? I have this hunch that all the pieces exist to make this a truly good film.