The Thin Red Line

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: January 8, 1999

8.0	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 263 Ratings

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User Reviews

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TelorandFJan 9, 2008

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 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 5 users found this helpful

usmcsmDec 22, 2010

A great book turned into a crappy film. This is the second screen adaptation, attempted adaptation, of James Jones classic novel, and both fail miserably. Three, long, boring hours of meandering garbage. Japanese soldiers inaccuratelyA great book turned into a crappy film. This is the second screen adaptation, attempted adaptation, of James Jones classic novel, and both fail miserably. Three, long, boring hours of meandering garbage. Japanese soldiers inaccurately portrayed, story garbled, an incredible waste of time.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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JoyceM.Jan 10, 2006

Ridiculous. The emperor is without clothes.

0 of 4 users found this helpful

IanBApr 1, 2009

Well, let me blow these ratings apart. My whole family watched this, ages 18 to 60 and we all thought it was terrible. A badly overdone, unrealistic, dark movie that looked like a stage play, pathetic script, campy Shakespearean actors, as Well, let me blow these ratings apart. My whole family watched this, ages 18 to 60 and we all thought it was terrible. A badly overdone, unrealistic, dark movie that looked like a stage play, pathetic script, campy Shakespearean actors, as wooden as it gets. If it wasn't so damn boring we could have enjoyed it as a comedy. I was hoping they would all die quickly and that was about half way through this home video.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful

HubCamJan 14, 2011

Was like suffering through a 2 hour Calvin Klein commercial, Apocalypse Now style.
My God what a heady bunch of crap!
Should be called the "The Thin Pink Line", 'cuz this was a complete Metro waste of film.

0 of 11 users found this helpful011

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MaxthePlankNov 4, 2011

This film is more entertaining than a 3 hour delay at Heathrow,,, but only marginally. If the film were edited down to the scenes with humans in (or better still to those where they actually have something to do or say!) then you would beThis film is more entertaining than a 3 hour delay at Heathrow,,, but only marginally. If the film were edited down to the scenes with humans in (or better still to those where they actually have something to do or say!) then you would be left with a powerful 60 mins. Sadly, the director has self-indulgently bloated it out with hour after tedious hour of rivers, dolphins, trees, fields, sunsets (sun-rises..). A shot of a field or a mountain has told me everything it can after 5 to 10 seconds, so why am I forced to stare at it for another minute and a half!? Clearly some arty farty space-cadet types like it, but I suspect the common mortal like myself, will lose the will to live long before the half-way point.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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HEIMDAL13Jul 29, 2014

This movie is boring and dull. It doesn't even have a plot... Worst war movie I have ever seen, It tries to be dramatic but it fails hard. It's over actuated.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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shag00Aug 8, 2019

It's a hard slog, there is something odd with the non stop use of the word glory. The flash backs to the wife are well stale at best and pointless at worst. A very shallow attempt at an anti war film.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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