The Thin Red Line slowly creeped it's way through my evening on March 11th, which is coincidentally Elias Koteas's birthday. Koteas plays one of the half-a-dozen number of characters that could be considered the protagonist for the film. Set in the south-Pacific, The Thin Red Line is a World War II movie that has been totally overshadowed by the drenched war-movie market. Released about six months after Saving Private Ryan, this film was overlooked and somewhat underrated. Nominated for seven Oscars (Including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay), it didn't win a single one. Saving Private Ryan on the other hand took home four of the Oscars that The Thin Red Line was nominated for.
The Thin Red Line is much more romantic than any of it's World War II competitors. The film follows an Army company as they try to take control of a Japanese-entrenched island in the south-Pacific. The cast is impressively massive, full of A, B and C-list actors that you've seen in everything. From George Clooney to Jared Leto to Adrien Brody to John Cusack, you're going to recognize a lot of faces in this film, not having enough time to place what movie you remember them from, because another just showed up on screen. Seriously, the cast is absolutely massive. Narrations from five or six of them cover the movie, giving us an insight into different soldiers thoughts on humanity and morality, as they battle the virulent Japanese army.
In terms of plot, the film only gives you a vague sense of what's happening, and where it's headed. Don't expect any guidance, the film wasn't made to be an accurate look at World War II, it's much more centered around visuals and characters than dialogue and story. The Thin Red Line is an artistic film, filled with beautiful cinematography and an easily recognizable Hans Zimmer score, during its many slow montages. In my experience, music is the best (only?) way to evoke emotion in a film; I found myself getting teary-eyed during an intense action sequence, totally mixed with emotions of redemption, anger, and happiness. The music overwhelmed me, and suddenly the scene became more than another shoot-em-up moment. Zimmer is a master of music.
It doesn't feel right to compare this film to Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan. All three were fantastic representations of World War II, with quality and accuracy that's out of this world. However, The Thin Red Line wasn't anything like the others, it was much more disconnected and distant, sort of a slow paced poetry reading with the occasional tear-jerking action montage thrown on top. With a full cast of fantastic actors, the film only falls short in it's lack of direction, filling in the boring gaps in this three hour long movie with some grade-A cinematography and an epic score. Make sure you're prepared if you pick this one up; it is a great film, just know that you're in for a tedious three hours. If you're a fan of World War II movies, don't let The Thin Red Line fall under your radar. It's an under appreciated work of art that shouldn't be forgotten because of it's competition.
Released: January 1999
Length: 2 hr 50 min
Directed by: Terrence Malick
Written by: Terrence Malick (Screenplay), James Jones (Novel)
Cast: Nick Nolte, Jim Caviezel, Elias Koteas, Sean Penn, John Cusack, Dash Mihok, Ben Chaplin, Miranda Otto, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Jared Leto, Nick Stahl, and just about every other recognizable actor ever.
Rating: R
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