A powerful movie, but not for short attention spans

Rating: 8/10 (22 January 2000)

Seems all the critics of this film cite "Saving Private Ryan" as being a superior war movie. Fine, but there's simply no sense in comparing the two. Yes, they're both WWII dramas and, yes, they were both released in 1998. But the similarities end there. In short, if you're in the mood for a quick glimpse into the horrors of war driven by a routine Hollywood storyline, rent "Saving Private Ryan." It's a fine little movie and wraps everything up neatly with a tidy, spoon-fed ending that drives the film's point home in case you didn't feel like thinking for yourself during the preceding 169 minutes. I don't mean that disrespectfully - lord knows I get tired of using my noggin about as often as anyone, and I thoroughly enjoyed "Saving Private Ryan." But if you're in a more thoughtful state of mind, or you're simply a fan of cerebral war movies ("Platoon," "Bridge On the River Kwai," "Apocalypse Now," for instance), then you'll likely enjoy "The Thin Red Line" at least as much, if not more than that probably overrated Tom Hanks/Matt Damon vehicle. "The Thin Red Line" is filled with superb acting, powerful imagery and some of the most beautiful cinematography I can remember. The story? Sure, it's thin, too - almost nonexistent, but that's beside the point. "The Thin Red Line" is not a movie that was made to be easily digested or fully, immediately understood. Rather it's something to _experience_, something that will engage your mind, provoke you, frustrate you, evade you and occasionally lead you to a rare, transcendent moment. Kind of like real life. No doubt, this is a challenging movie and not for the insensitive or casual moviegoer. But, for your own sake, pay no mind to the sad, Attention Deficit Disorder-afflicted detractors who say "The Thin Red Line" is dull and boring. Nothing could be further from the truth.