The Thin Red Line

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The Thin Red Line

R

Released Dec 25, 1998

2h 50m

War

History

Drama

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80%

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107 Reviews

80%

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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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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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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

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

The film is a gorgeous garland on an unknown soldier's grave.

Apr 1, 2019

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Charles T

Slower that boiled potatoes... Too much philosophical mumbo reflection ranting on and on

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/10/25

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Ira K

The reviews by critics are obviously by people who have never been in combat. The movie is a disjointed mess from the very first scene and an all-star cast doesn't save it. What was their mission? When were they inserted? You have to explain why they are there. Where's the Marines they are relieving? Maybe someone should have told the director that we are not inside his head and have no idea what his "vision" is.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

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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

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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

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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

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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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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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