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The Thin Red Line
The Thin Red Line Image
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Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 108 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: James Caviezel, Nick Nolte, Sean Penn
  • Summary: The Thin Red Line tells the story of a group of men, an Army Rifle company called C-for-Charlie, who change, suffer and ultimately make essential discoveries about themselves during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. (Fox)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    100
    One of the most curious and perversely brilliant films ever made in the American studio system. It's a shining example of qualities we don't normally see in our big theatrical pictures: vast ambition, huge resources and technical genius mated to a unique and compelling vision of life.
  2. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Elizabeth Weitzman
    100
    Here is something great and startling -- not necessarily the kind of comforting, consensus-creating film that wins Oscars, but unquestionably a movie that will live in the history of the medium.
  3. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Manohla Dargis
    60
    Malick dangles his maddeningly innocent ideas about life and death and man's gift for self-destruction.

See all 32 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 61
  3. Negative: 11 out of 61
  1. cabrita
    10
    I have seen all of Malick's films and have found them average and overated. However the thin red line stands alone. Malick captures human nature beautfully through war with intesnse and masterfully crafted war scenes. Malick's style has never worked so well in a film! One of the best movies of all time!… Expand
    • 3 of 3 users said yes
  2. JamesS
    4
    This movie would have been great if it were not for all the faggot actors trying to look tough and mean. What an insult to the true heroes who paid the ultimate price in this campaign. Woody & Buzz could've done a better job… Expand
    • 0 of 6 users said yes
  3. TelorandF
    1
    Quite possibly the worst waste of three hours I have experienced. I rarely knew who I was looking at, as the soldiers all looked the same, and even more seldom was the feeling that I should care about them. The voice-over-narrators all sounded the same, all spouting a similar, formulaic monologue to the effect of, "Who am I? Why are we fighting? Where do thoughts come from?" When I wasn't bored with the monologue, I was engulfed in a score that lacked any power and swelled when it should have been silent or was silent when it should have swelled. In fact, the characters had no dynamics either. They all acted like scared little boys, both the experienced and those whose first war this was, and it is a wonder they weren't all killed by the Japanese. That would have been impossible, however, as the Japanese were inept at shooting just about everything, not to mention they seemed to enjoy running over the hill towards the enemy, shouting instead of taking up positions and shooting. One shining example of this is when the Americans take Hill 210 and run into the main encampment of the Japanese, much to their surprise. The clearly outnumbered Americans then slaughter nearly every Japanese they can point their gun at while the Japanese simply decide it is better to run away than pick up their guns and fight. This film is misguided and sporadic, having only a vague plot, obscure goals, little to no characterization, and a pace so slow there is time to formulate your own cliche ponderings on life.… Expand
    • 1 of 2 users said yes

See all 61 User Reviews

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