The Thin Red Line Movie Review 1998

After a long hiatus, director Malick returns in this epic WWII saga about a rifle company fighting at Guadalcanal. Visually stunning and focused on the inner thoughts, feelings, and philosophical leanings of the soldiers, the film sacrifices plot and continuity to study the questions of Man vs. Nature and the Origin of Evil. Plot difficulties are highlighted by the physical similarities of relative newcomers Chaplin and Caviezel. Combat scenes are, naturally, beautifully shot and effective, while the relationship between Penn and Caviezel makes the biggest impression among the many subplots (some of which go nowhere) and the star-laden, large cast. Based on the 1962 novel by James Jones.

Distribution

Fox Home Entertainment, PO Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213, Phone: (310)369-3900, Toll-free: 888-223-4FOX, Fax: (310)369-5811, URL: http://www.foxmovies.com/index1.html, Remarks: Also known as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 170 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

World War II, Jungle Stories, Military: Army, Books to Film: James Jones

Screenplay

Terrence Malick

Cast

Kirk Acevedo, Miranda Otto, Nick Stahl, James Caviezel, Adrien Brody, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, John Cusack, George Clooney, Woody Harrelson, Ben Chaplin, Elias Koteas, Jared Leto, John Travolta, Tim Blake Nelson, John C. Reilly, John Savage, Arie Verveen, David Harrod, Thomas Jane, Paul Gleason, Penelope Allen, Don Harvey, Shawn Hatosy, Donal Logue, Dash Mihok, Larry Romano

Cinematography

John Toll

Director

Terrence Malick

Music

Hans Zimmer

Other

Mike Stokey

Producer

Robert Michael Greisler, John Roberdeau, Grant Hill, George Stevens, 20th Century-Fox

Awards

N.Y. Film Critics 1998: Director (Malick); Natl. Soc. Film Critics 1998: Cinematog.