THE POETRY OF WAR.

Rating: 8/10 (7 June 2000)

A review that i read recently pretty much sums up the difference between Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line: "SPR" is the prose of war, "TRL" is the poetry. This film throws us numerous characters and relationships in the nearly 3 hours it runs. We meet Witt and Welsh, a private and sergeant, who argue about heaven, hell, and all in between. The characters Capt. Staros and Col. Tall are introduced to us. The former refuses to send his troops on a suicidal mission ordered by the latter. We see a father-son relationship between Colonel Tall and Captain Gaff, the colonel's protege. Through flashbacks, we view the love between Private Bell and his wife back home. These friendships/conficts are the core of the film. Unlike "SPR", which brilliantly revolved around the blood and bullets, "TRL" revolves around heart and soul. There are numerous religious references, as well as metaphors and hidden messages throughout The Thin Red Line. Some obvious ones are Witt's life displayed throughout the film (childhood on the island, growing with the troops, realization of purpose of life, death, "reincarnation" as child on island)and the idea that Witt is some sort of savior (sacrificed life for others, healed wounded). well, on the scale on 1 to 10 (10 being the highest):
plot: 5 script: 8 acting: 8 cinematography: 10 direction: 10 music: 6 (not a huge factor in film, though)
OVERALL: 8