The Thin Red Line
(1998)
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Terrence Malick returns to Hollywood after a two-decade hiatus with this adaptation of the classic WWII novel by James Jones. The story follows the efforts of an army platoon to capture the Japanese-controlled island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific Ocean, which will have a major effect on the outcome of the war. The members of C-for-Charlie Company are all fighting for different reasons: Some to achieve glory, some to fight for democracy, and some simply to remain alive. They spend the quieter moments reflecting upon their existence, searching for meaning amid the senselessness of war. |
Admirers of Terrence Malick's excellent 1998 version of James Jones' epic Second World War novel may find this a touch disappointing. But this well-acted picture takes a more conventional approach, by focusing on the spiky relationship between veteran first sergeant Jack Warden and raw private Keir Dullea. In the bitter conflict in Guadalcanal in the Pacific, the two men's loathing for each other develops into mutual respect. The combat sequences, particularly the final one, are first class, without war being glorified.
Halliwell's Film Guide
A ruminative war movie, with much voice-over, and often depending for its viewpoint on sound and the visual contrast between the lush landscapes and the mess the soldiers make of it. War is seen as an aberration, an intrusion on a natural paradise.