A Philosophical War Movie, or a Warlike Philosophy Movie

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2005)

This movie, which takes place in Quadalcanal during the 2nd World War, is Terrance Malick's third time out after "Badlands" (a pretty good debut with Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek) and "Days of Heaven". This film showcases the man's talents as a director of significant movies and strong actors. Numerous "name" stars, all young men (except Nick Nolte, John Savage and John Travolta, who manages to look like a young general) act well ensemble to show different reactions to and ways of coping with their gruesomely deadly yet stunningly beautiful and exotic situation and surroundings. Radically different philosophies about life clash in the attitudes of frequently-AWOL Private Witt, empathetic and anti-authoritarian lover of life, and Sergeant Welsh the uncaringly brave, cynical, every-man-for-himself existentialist.
This lyrical, beautifully-photographed and steadily-paced story about Life vs. Death takes place as Captain Staros, the paternal and caring leader of the men must follow his ambitious Colonel's orders to take a heavily-defended, nearly-impregnable strongpoint at all costs, yet keep his men alive. Great action sequences are interspersed with gorgeous scenic or dream cutaways with reflective voice-overs. This is a movie of quality.