The Thin Red Line

R

Released Dec 25, 1998

2 hr. 50 min.

War

History

Drama

List

80%

106 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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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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Alec C

When it comes to warfare, never expect to come out on the other side without getting some scars! As a platoon of soldiers intends to take Mount Austin during the Second World War, the many casualties and mental scarring leads the soldiers to question everything they're doing. An emotional epic about one of the most brutal wars in history, we're left to watch the carnage unfold as bodies drop and many familiar faces appear!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/18/24

Full Review

P.

The most impactful film I've ever seen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/14/24

Full Review

Dean S

Released at a similar time to Saving Private Ryan, a much slower paced film but beautifully shot and more thought provoking than its bigger name rival. I really loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/24

Full Review

Online A

Majestic, harrowing. A feat, an example of the beautiful heights that the art of cinema can reach. The only movie to ever move me to tears out of sheer beauty, which might sound counterintuitive because this is a movie about war. For a director to derive such awe out of the most ominous material possible...pure inspiration. It makes me want to be a brighter "spark" in the hopes of igniting the next person, even if they don't understand me...even if they are my perceived enemy. One of the most powerful films ever imagined, pure imagination brought to life. Heart breaking, inspiring, thought provoking. One of the only times after seeing a film where I wish I could thank the director. Sincerely, this is unfettered emotion, unadulterated art, maybe even a reason for us all to strive for more from life. Breath taking.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/24

Full Review

Ava S

The Thin Red Line ultimately functions as a poetic stream of consciousness within the minds of American soldiers, highlighting the challenging dichotomy of humanity.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/04/24

Full Review

TWMax65

This film came out in the shadow of Saving Private Ryan which had been released the same year and was largely a better movie, and this film was made to show the side of the war from another front which is not as commonly put to the big screen as the European front. Overall the cinematography was good as well as some of the more emotional scenes, however the directing overall was a hit or miss. Nick Nolte I think was the best actor in the film since he gave the most lively portrayal of a commander in the heat of battle. The main issues with the movie is the slow and boring parts as well as the dialogue that is involved with them (which feels so stale). The beginning and end really take their time and the movie was made too long because of it. Nevertheless, it's a decent war movie I'd say and likely meant for an older audience.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/31/23

Full Review

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Terrence Malick

Director

Sean Penn

Sgt. Welsh

Adrien Brody

Cpl. Fife

Jim Caviezel

Pvt. Witt

Ben Chaplin

Pvt. Bell

George Clooney

Capt. Bosche

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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

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

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line should not be seen as much as experienced through the perception of flowing images and existential questioning.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 18, 2022

Full Review

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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
Executive Producer: George Stevens Jr.
Screenwriter: James Jones, Terrence Malick
Distributor: 20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Production Co: Fox 2000 Pictures, Phoenix 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
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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