Great Example of a war picture

Rating: 10/10 (5 June 2000)

Thin Red Line is a great example of what a war film can be. Unlike 1998's Saving Private Ryan (which I thought was the best film of 1998), this film doesn't have a plot with a big beginning and ending (even though that would be nice). It just chronicles a group of soldiers and their battle in the South Pacific, and with themselves. Good character study, and some good monologues by Sean Penn don't make this the best war film ever, but it isn't bad either. Pretty good effort by writer/director Terreence Mallick who returns to the screen after a 20 year absence. Big screen cast includes Penn, Jim Chazviel, George Clooney, John Travolta, Woody Harrelson, Shawn Hatosy, Elias Koetas and Nick Nolte as a powerful General. A