Rating: 
Summary: Beatiful to Watch . . . But Much Less than was expected.
Review: I went into the theatre knowing that The Thin Red Line was going to be "unconventional" and "different." What it was was three hours of some of the most beautiful cinematography I have ever seen, but not much beyond that. The collection of vigneittes did not hold together, and the character's were archetypes. Some might call their narrations "deep" or "poetry" but it is really shallow BS.And FYI, juxtaposing images of war and nature is not new, original, or any of the other adjectives used to describe the film. It is cliche and hackneyed. Another reviewer compared this movie to Apocolypse Now and 2001, two of my favorite films. This film is far from those two masterpieces. It is just Malick spitting out some "art" and people being spoonfed it and exiting thinking they are all smart because they got the message: WAR IS BAD.
Rating:
Summary: who is narrow minded?
Review: I cant believe some of the people that have responded to this movie. First, let me say that this does not apply to every viewer that enjoyed The Thin Red Line, but I have noticed that in the reviews of some of the more artsy movies here at Amazon.com there are invariably those pretentious, elitist individuals that not only trumpet how much that they enjoyed some bland, poetic work but feel compelled to insult those who did not enjoy it. In reviews for The Thin Red Line you will see phrases like "thick headed" and "anyone who does not like this movie is to stupid to understand it." My personal favorite is the review that calls those who disliked TRL "mindless neandertals [sic]" misspelling "neanderthals." I promise to anyone who cares to listen that there are some very intelligent people that did not like this film. The fact of the matter is that intelligence is not something that is worn on the sleeve by attending art films and Shakespeare festivals. The Thin Red Line is not for everyone's tastes, a point made sufficiently clear in many posts here. Accept it. I don't know why some people feel the need to make themselves feel better by insulting those that did not like this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Clearly one of the best films ever.
Review: Let the film speak for it self. Critics suprise me on this film. Does art have to follow certain guidlines to be condsidered great.I could say more but why.
Rating:
Summary: The Thin Red Line?
Review: I walked into the theatre not knowing quite what to expect of the Second WWII film of 1998. I must admit my hopes were not high for my appreciation of the film. But when the first scene began, I knew I had never seen a film more beautiful. The Thin Red Line is a war movie unlike any other. It is deep, powerful, and emotionally stirring. It is not a movie to be compared to Saving Pivate Ryan. It is far greater, and far more touching. It is not a movie that will attract a great audience, for not many viewers, I fear, will be able to reach the depth of this Cinematic Masterpiece. Not many will have the patience for it, but instead will sit waiting for a rollarcoaster battle scene. The Thin Red Line does not present blood gushing action filled depiction of WWII. It depicts the war through the eyes of the characters, not the camera WARNING:THIS IS FILM IS NOT NORMAL HOLLYWOOD STYLE!!!:
Rating:
Summary: dreamlike, surreal masterpeace
Review: Boring? Overlong? Not at all. Take your time and it's worth it! Yes it's slow, but that's one of its qualities! One viewer said, the landing scene doesn't pay off. Exactly! Nothing's there to fight! No bullets! Nothing - and this makes it even more scarier, doesn't it? We came to expect that war is gung-ho action, blood etc. but above all, it's fear. No 'ey buddy we're all in the same together' - but a feeling of loneliness. TRL is not really a film about war but how soldiers react. Of course some of the voice-over is too metaphorical, too greasy, but there's also lots of truth in it. And if you sit there in the theatre, ultimately alone, you start to think about all that's going around in your head. TRL is a very personal film, everybody sees something different in it. From the technical point of view: it's gorgeously filmed, pretty well acted (with some exceptions, namely Travolta) and a sometimes surreal, sometimes frighteningly real vision. A dream rather than a movie. Not for everyone, but for everyone with a soul, a heart and a little bit of time to try something new, something human. By the way: I love Saving Private Ryan as well - but so what? There's no need to compare these two in such a competitive way. They're just different. But they're both fantastic!
Rating:
Summary: This gets two, instead of 1, ONLY because I'm a WWII buff
Review: When I sat down to watch this film I thought I was really about to see something great. As it turned out, however, I sat through a 3 hour talk-a-thon. I can respect the opinions of those that think it was a smart cinematic move to listen to the soldier's stories, but I can only handle it in moderation. I don't really care if some private's wife leaves him for an Air Force pilot...I really don't. There were so many thought-reading segments I thought I was going to puke. Compare the beginning of TRL to Private Ryan. In one, a couple of AWOLers are caught mingling with Aborigines - wow, exciting. In the other, assault troops are getting shredded to pieces on the Normandy beaches. Not that I'm some neo-Nazi who enjoys watching Americans get killed, but at least it didn't put me to sleep. Well, feel free to rant and rave all you want, but this is my opinion, and it isn't going to change.
Rating:
Summary: Yes and no.
Review: I though that this was a good movie on an artistic level, however I thought that it was too...poetic. I do not think that any movie that depicts the horrors of war should be 'poetic'.John Travolta and George Clooney were advertised 8th and 9th stars in the movie, yet neither one of them shows up for more than a minute. Nick Nolte had a typically strong performance as a fiery commander. Sean Penn was not used to the best of his ability and a scene where Woody Harrelson 'blows his butt off' is positively ludicrous. I can understand how it was nominated for best picture because it was artistic, but then again, so was the foreign film 'Life is Beautiful' <shudder>. It was the kind that the academy enjoys. Artsy Fartsy and caring nothing about the horrors of war. In my opinion, Saving Private Ryan was ten times the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Rent or buy Full Metal Jacket instead.
Review: If you haven't seen this movie yet rent or buy Full Metal Jacket instead. If you have seen this movie have,, well then YOU KISSED 7 BUCKS GOODBYE.
Rating:
Summary: A Rohrshach film
Review: It's telling that ratings of this film are so skewed very high or very low, with almost no middle ground. This is true on chat boards and databases everywhere. And people are motivated to express their opinions too. I wouldn't reccommend buying the video unless you know you like it, and if you do like it, it's a must-have. If you don't have an opinion yet, a rental might be a good idea. The video can't be as good as the film in a theatre. Some shots worked wonderfully on a large screen, and will make things invisible on a TV. The current technical description make the video appear identical in length to the theatrical. If you were among those hoping for a longer version, the wait may be longer. Those interested in the book will be interested to know that Jone's sequel, Whistle is about to be reprinted. Search in amazon for "james jones whistle"; some other searches don't find it. -dB
Rating:
Summary: A true depiction of war?
Review: Looking at the mixed reviews says a few things about Thin Red Line, 'you'll either like it or you won't'. The unfortunate thing is that so many comparisons are drawn between TRL and Saving Private Ryan. Both unquestionably excellent examples of films in their own right delivered by two (and very different) filmmakers. For many people Saving Private Ryan engages a whole different group of senses and feelings, whereas the battle scenes in Saving Private Ryan do drag you in on a purely visceral level, there is still much to the Thin Red Line that is watchable. Firstly, the cinematography is just, frankly, excellent (by cinematographer John Toll). The movement of the camera through the shoulder high grass, guiding the audience through the soldiers eyes, is really masterful. Every shot is crafted to perfection that any one could be a work of art. For me the staging of the action was just right, but the real weight of the picture was the personal effect that war and mans inhumanity to his fellow man can have on a human being. A powerful film that deserves a place in everyone's collection.
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