The Thin Red Line is a 1998 war film that is based on the 1962 autobiographical novel by James Jones, and it tells the story of a fictionalised version of the Battle of Mount Austen during the Second World War
Almost three decades after its release, a war film from the 90s has left Disney+ viewers in tears, with some declaring it the greatest war film ever made.
The Thin Red Line, a 1998 war film penned and directed by Terrence Malick, narrates a fictionalised account of the Battle of Mount Austen during World War II. The film, which was nominated for an Academy Award, boasts a star-studded cast including Adrien Brody, George Clooney, Sean Penn, Woody Harrelson and John Travolta.
Based on James Jones’ autobiographical novel, the film centres on the 1943 conflict at Guadalcanal, where the US Army arrives to quash the last resistance of the Japanese. A gruelling battle pushes the men to their limits, both physically and emotionally, with scenes unveiling the true horrors of war from their viewpoint.
An IMDB summary explains: “The reasons for this war get further away as the world for the men gets smaller and smaller until their fighting is for mere survival and the life of the other men with them.”
It’s these “harrowing” scenes that had viewers glued to their screens, reports the Express.
A critic shared their thoughts on Rotten Tomatoes: “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.”
Following its acclaimed debut and commercial triumph, The Thin Red Line scored nominations in every key category at the 71st Academy Awards in 1999, including Best Picture and Best Director. Despite walking away empty-handed on Oscar night, many film buffs still consider the epic war movie a “snubbed” masterpiece.
Adrien Brody was a fresh-faced 23 year old actor when he took on his role in The Thin Red Line. Positioned as his “big break”, his part, unfortunately, met the cutting room floor more often than not, leaving his character’s story much reduced.
Discussing with GQ, Brody opened up about the experience, saying, “There was public embarrassment and potential career disaster affiliated with all of that…” He reflected further: “I didn’t know that the role had been eviscerated. Then I looked back, and I thought, How lucky I am that I averted acclaim and praise at that age.”
Film Comment lavished praise on the film upon its release, stating, “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.”
Audiences reacted passionately too, with one viewer claiming it to be the “most impactful film” they’d ever laid eyes on. Another added their voice, proclaiming it “one of the greatest war movies ever made”, citing its “Beautiful cinematography and musical score! Great direction and acting. A must watch!”.
For some, ‘The Thin Red Line’ fell short of expectations – one critic labelled it “self-indulgent” with a “pretty weak plot.”
Yet others were more appreciative; praising its unique quality, one admirer noted: “It’s no Apocalypse Now or Saving Private Ryan, but it truly stands on its own as a beautifully shot war film.”
An unenthused commenter didn’t mince words, declaring: “Honestly, I don’t understand any of the accolades for this film. To me it was so slow, ponderous and filled to the brim with sleep-inducing, hackneyed, boring poetic nonsense.”
Film buffs can catch this iconic war flick on Disney+, or opt to rent it from Amazon Prime, Apple TV, or Sky Store.
