A philosophical look into the psyche of the soldier's thoughts and feelings.

Rating: Null/10 (28 December 1998)

The Thin Red Line, starring Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel, Ben Chaplin, George Clooney, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, Elias Koteas, Nick Nolte and John C. Reilly is as far away from Saving Private Ryan as any movie could be. Although they both deal with World War II, any critic who pens this movie as a copy-cat of Saving Private Ryan is sadly mistaken. The differences between these two movies are plain as day. Both contain fighting scenes, but The Thin Red Line is so much more philosophical and introspective, I can see no way to compare the two.
The Thin Red Line, weighing in at 2 hours 45 minutes is well worth every one. This movie is much better than Saving Private Ryan because this movie is able to express a man's emotions and feelings and conscience. The Thin Red Line deals with the invasion of Guadal Canal, a turning point in World War II. This movie does contain a few war scenes with men being shot and blown up, but it goes beyond that into the psyche of the soldier, the personal misgivings and diffidence included in war. It follows the lives of many men, not just a select few, and delves into the inner thoughts of each and the reflections as they look back on what they have done. The message in this movie is portrayed in a strong way, through the use of voice-overs, and is actually very cogitative as the audience can only remember or imagine as having happened during this awful period in the history of mankind.
I just don't know how to put it, but The Thin Red Line leaves you with something to think about and talk about after exiting the theater. It gives you a new outlook on life and death, and, similarly to Saving Private Ryan, portrays war as it was in all of its shame. The Thin Red Line is a spectacular movie with a beautiful backdrop and scenery and is a must see this new year to remind us of the atrocities of war and the pain and suffering these soldiers endured.