Best since "Apocalypse Now"

Rating: 10/10 (25 January 1999)

I think this is the best depiction of war since "Apocalypse Now." In that movie, I thought the first half was about the Vietnam War, the second half about war in general. I feel the same about this movie in conjunction with "Saving Private Ryan." "Saving Private Ryan" was about WW II, while "The Thin Red Line" is more about war in general. "Saving Private Ryan" is a great film and I imagine it will win just about every Oscar, but I liked "The Thin Red Line" better. "Saving Private Ryan" showed the physical peril of war and the nature of sacrifice, but only briefly touched on the mental/psychological terror experienced by those that serve. I thought "The Thin Red Line" did a better job describing "why we fight" and "how we fight" and the related terror of those who fight.