Love it or leave it.

Rating: Null/10 (21 March 1999)

I went to see "The Thin Red Line" with the knowledge that it would be deliberately paced and philosophical. I didn't expect another "Saving Private Ryan". I went away filled with wonder. While not a perfect film, it was one of the best I've seen in a very long time. For some reason, I found it reminiscent of "Das Boot", "Stalingrad" and "The Mission". Many have mistaken it for a war movie, when it is a movie set in a war. OK, it was a trifle overlong, with a few flashbacks, voice-overs and nature scenery shots too many, and both Travolta and Clooney felt out of place, but the overall effect was stunning. I have never seen war portrayed in this way before, with soldiers on both sides being scared s***less and desperately trying to execute their orders despite seeing their comrades die. The footage is from the soldier's point of view, crawling on the ground, noticing irrelevant details, being confused in the midst of combat. The portrayal of the Japanese was superb - not the usual American racist bespectacled, buck-toothed gook shouting "Banzai!" and dying for the Emperor. At first, the enemy is faceless, firing machine-guns and charging, then seen up close as scared, humiliated and very human (still, we must remember that the Japanese atrocities were among the worst of the war). While it is futile to compare it with "Ryan" (it's like trying to compare "Star Wars" to "2001"), I will still do it, as so many has already one it. The greatest failing of SPR was the big slump in the middle, the sappy patriotism and the stereotyped characters. The attention to detail was impeccable, but the end result was still slightly disappointing. TTRL is visually stunning and very violent, with strong performances all over the line. The pace (or lack thereof) requires that the viewer detach him/herself from expecting the standard rhythm movies have, which is certainly hard, especially if you think "war movie". TTRL is a movie that makes you think, something which obviously isn't appreciated by the "Armageddon" lot, and therefore very satisfying if you are fed up with the standard Hollywood fare. I can understand that some people feel cheated (that movie trailer appear to have been misleading), but try to _watch_ and _think_! I read through some of the comments, and feel that the review made by the Bosnian veteran was most valid. If an ex-soldier feels that the film has something to say, I think that's praise indeed. My own experiences from my (peacetime) military service makes me agree. "The Thin Red Line" isn't for everyone, but if you don't want to be treated like "Everyone", you are in for a real treat.