War is Hell without Heroes

Rating: 10/10 (28 March 1999)

This film, more than any other in recent years, reminded me of Stanley Kubrick. Like Kubrick's movies, it is not easy to digest all the rich content of TTRL in one viewing. And like the recently departed master's films, I am sure that TTRL will improve with each viewing (and I certainly aim to see it several times). Other similarities between the two master film makers include creating a vivid atmosphere and cleansing their movies of any "manufactured emotion".
TTRL delves into the psychology of war. It seems to ask the question: What is it that can make cold blooded murderers out of innocent young men ? (a question also put to the audience in Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket) and, Is anything worth shedding so much blood for? His answer to the last question is an obvious NO and TTRL could be termed a Pacifist war movie. For this reason, it is almost diametrically opposite to Saving Private Ryan. For other reasons, such as artistic integrity and creative film making, I believe it to be the much superior of the two films.
I am sure that had Malick cut the first 10 minutes and some 20 minutes from the end section, the movie would have been more commercially successful. As I am sure Vertigo would have been during its initial release had Hitchcock given in to all those around him and save the denoument for the end rather than the middle. But would Vertigo be as great a movie today with those changes? I think not. History will be the judge on Malick's film. Meanwhile, catch it on the big screen while you can. It is an experience likely to be lot more rewarding than watching almost anything else around.