Tough to Tightrope a Thin Line

Rating: 5/10 (31 December 1998)

Whether Malick was striving for the realism of Saving Private Ryan (I don't think so) or the sublime nature of Apocalypse Now (more likely) he fell just short. It was a brave attempt, but the result was a twisting to the point of convoluted look into characters its hard to connect with. If not for the character and performance of Sean Penn this movie would collapse upon itself. The film is visually stunning, but carries the frustration of an unreached potential.