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The Thin Red Line

Play trailer Poster for The Thin Red Line R Released Dec 25, 1998 2h 50m War History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 107 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
In 1942, Private Witt (Jim Caviezel) is a U.S. Army absconder living peacefully with the locals of a small South Pacific island. Discovered by his commanding officer, Sgt. Welsh (Sean Penn), Witt is forced to resume his active duty training for the Battle of Guadalcanal. As Witt and his unit land on the island, and the American troops mount an assault on entrenched Japanese positions, the story explores their various fates and attitudes towards life-or-death situations.
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The Thin Red Line

The Thin Red Line

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Critics Consensus

The Thin Red Line is a daringly philosophical World War II film with an enormous cast of eager stars.

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Critics Reviews

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Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal stunning images couldn't make Days of Heaven a coherent dramatic whole, and they can't do it for The Thin Red Line. Apr 2, 2019 Full Review Richard Schickel TIME Magazine The film is a gorgeous garland on an unknown soldier's grave. Apr 1, 2019 Full Review Gavin Smith Film Comment Magazine There has truly never been a film about modern war quite like this one: a kind of lyric epic poem about the way men are transformed for good by the experience of war, carefully balancing romanticism and dispassion, action and introspection. Apr 10, 2018 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Malick isn’t interested in the specifics of the skirmish as much as he’s interested in how the natural beauty and harmony of the earth is mercilessly disrupted by the carnage that modern man brings to the scene via his weapons of mass destruction. Rated: 3/4 May 28, 2025 Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight "The Thin Red Line” is a magnificent motion picture whose very essence is epitomized in its every sequence. Rated: 4/4 Dec 25, 2022 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Malick has crafted nothing so much as a poetic tribute to his own artistic sensitivity. Rated: C- Sep 2, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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steve d Tied with saving private Ryan for favorite war movie. The emotional punch isn't as violent as with Private Ryan but it's almost as emotional but in a more subdued way and it's absolutely beautifully filmed. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/17/25 Full Review Chief B Masterpiece!! This movie isn't for everybody. It's a philosophical, existentieel questions asking movie using war as it's platform to ask these questions. The perfect platform to do that if you ask me. Super beautiful shot and acted and doesn't feel like it's almost 3 hours long. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/29/25 Full Review Thomas B What a waste of talents. Messy and totally overrated. Malik in a nutshell.. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/25 Full Review John F Inevitably compared to Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan, for better or worse. I must say I prefer this one as a war movie, and thanks to Malick for pointing out the problem (however subtly) of watching such movies for "entertainment." Some thought the cameo appearances by the likes of Clooney or Travolta were distracting, but I thought their brief appearances helped make the point Malick was trying to make, however convoluted it may be. The cinematography is gorgeous, and the violence horrific and unpredictable. Nolte and Penn are the standouts for me, but it really doesn't matter: Malick deliberately blurs the lines between characters which shows the reality of endless warfare and its consequences. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/25 Full Review Audience Member Most pathetic attempt to create art through a war movie, and fails miserably at both. The soft-handed director Malick hasn't the first clue about the character and mettle of the soldiers who fought at Guadalcanal, or WWII for that matter. He can't comprehend the selfless love these men had for each other, neither does he understand the concept of SACRIFICE. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/25 Full Review André Ferreira F Belíssimo e único, este filme só não tem uma avaliação mais alta porque o ritmo (por vezes) demaisado lento não o permite. (avaliação: 8/10) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Thin Red Line

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1942, Private Witt (Jim Caviezel) is a U.S. Army absconder living peacefully with the locals of a small South Pacific island. Discovered by his commanding officer, Sgt. Welsh (Sean Penn), Witt is forced to resume his active duty training for the Battle of Guadalcanal. As Witt and his unit land on the island, and the American troops mount an assault on entrenched Japanese positions, the story explores their various fates and attitudes towards life-or-death situations.
Director
Terrence Malick
Producer
John Roberdeau, Robert Michael Geisler
Screenwriter
James Jones, Terrence Malick
Distributor
20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Production Co
Phoenix Pictures, Fox 2000 Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
War, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 25, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$36.4M
Runtime
2h 50m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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