Should've been titled "The Thin Red Plot"

Rating: 5/10 (7 February 1999)

Many of the reviewers here use the term "brilliant" to describe this film. They believe it represents a deeply artistic portrayal of war. These same film-critic-wannabees probably also listen to Kenny G and drive Volvos.
Certainly the cinematography is stunning, and a couple of the performances are very good, but to call this a brilliant film is ridiculous. It lacks a plot, has incongruent cuts between scenes that leave the audience confused, and the cameos are badly mis-cast. I mean, John Travolta as a brigadier general? Come on!
What's worse, the film seems to admonish the audience that "life is beautiful and war is a meaningless hell." Well, no kidding. It's insultingly patronizing to sit through a three hour message movie, especially when the message is a no-brainer and has been said before in much better films.
Don't let anybody kid you. This film is clearly not on the level of Saving Private Ryan. The gorgeous cinematography of the wildlife and tropical rainforests is the only good thing I can find to say about this movie. Otherwise it is badly editted, plot-challenged, and way too long.