Best war movie of all time

Rating: 10/10 (31 July 2004)

This movie is without a doubt the best war movie of all time, and easily ranks in the top ten of all motion pictures. What is really unique, apart from the gorgeous cinematography that links man to an all-pervasive nature in his most desperate moments, is the fact that this movie develops and carries the actual thoughts, not just the words, of its soldiers at all times. As a Vietnam veteran, I could recognize many of the scenes in this film from my own memories (and nightmares!). It is real war, real people, and an extraordinary work of art.
The casting for this film was superb in all respects, including a remarkable performance by Nick Nolte that should have won best supporting actor, hands down. You need to appreciate the biological detail and accuracy in this film- for example it included eclectics parrots that are only found in Melanesia. By contrast, the more recent film Master and Commander depicts the capture and release of tree-dwelling South American green (common) iguanas on the Galapagos Islands, instead of the actual species that are found there- a very disappointing lack of attention to detail that destroys the credibility of the film for the many people who are familiar with green iguanas.
This film came up against Elizabeth, Shakespeare in Love, and Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture in what was probably the best lot of films ever nominated for an Academy Award. By contrast, Saving Private Ryan is more of a typical war film with an American bias, with a focus on action. The Thin Red Line has none of this- it is really a nature and psychology film, and a very, very deep one that even succeeded at depicting some of the mystical and insane experience, the real mental experience, that accompanies warfare.
Fortunately, with DVDs, we can now study films of this kind and get more out of them with each viewing.