Impossible to recommend it. Even to serious film buffs.

Rating: 4/10 (17 July 2010)

And I wouldn't even say this film is "for fans of Malick only". I consider myself to be one of his fans, and still can't get anything out of The Thin Red Line. There are some interesting moments, but this exercise in existentialism just seems too out of place for a WWII setting. Trust me... everyone fighting in that war knew why they were fighting it, and they all knew the stakes. The Korean War or Vietnam would be better settings for the introspective wonder Malick tries to throw at us here.
There are too many characters to spend time on here, but a few stand out in this whimsical account of the US invasion of Guadal Canal. Jim Caviezel as Private Witt seems to be the main focus of the "story". He is a dreamy soldier who apparently has a habit of going AWOL on his unit. We first see him living amongst a village of native Polynesians before being picked up by a patrol and brought back to the army. He is amazed at the lack of hostility he sees in these natives, even pointing out to the adults how even the kids there didn't seem to fight amongst themselves. By now, most casual movie fans are asking themselves, "when the hell are we going to get some war carnage? Spielberg didn't make us wait long at all in Saving Private Ryan!" Eventually we do get some battle action, but it isn't nearly as graphic or explosive as what many expect. Most of it focuses on following orders and whether or not an advancement against a well dug in enemy is worth the lives it will cost. During these scenes, we are treated to the film's best performance by Nick Nolte as an aging colonel desperate for a big win and a promotion to general. Nolte was still at the top of his game back then, and he chews the scenery to bits. He may even inspire you. This was before the flowered shirt mug shot debacle that his career has never recovered from.
The film is pretty much stillborn whenever Nolte is off screen, though. Just too many cameos to keep track of, and some of them (Travolta) are downright embarrassing. How does an actor as good as Sean Penn become an afterthought? He had plenty of screen time, yet he never found his character. Malick's style never really lends itself to its characters, though. Nature is usually what stands out. Here the cinematography is fine, but how could it not have been? Few shots really stand out. The battle scenes are not blocked particularly well. This is common when you have a director not specializing in action. And to top it off, the movie is just dull. You won't care about these characters, and you won't really want to hear what they care about, either. All viewers, casual and serious, should be advised to avoid this film. Watch Days of Heaven instead! 4 of 10 stars.
The Hound.