The Thin Red lineThe Thin Red line
" I remember when my mother was dying, she was so grey with death, I didn't want to touch her"
I did not expect this line to open the film. In fact, like so many people out there, I did not expect this film to be what it was.
So, a hard task is upon me and that is to write a review for The Thin Red Line. For those who have not seen the film, what I am about to say will make absolutely no sense and for those of you who have, the same will probably apply.
Now, if you don't know, Terrance Malick has spent the last twenty years in reclusion from the limelight. He re-emerged a few years back. With him was a screenplay adaptation of the novel of the "The Thin Red Line", which he had been working on since 1988. As soon as Hollywood heard the news, they threw millions at him, and the big name actors grovelled at his feet for a part. So, what did Malick do? He took the money and ran to Australia, leaving the big boys behind and picked his own group of unknowns for the parts. And what we have as a result is one of the greatest films of the nineties. A very bold statement, but the film is the proof.
The plot ( if that is what you call it ) is set in the first five minutes. There is an island in the Guadaclanal must be captured by the American forces to stop the Japanese advance on Australia. And that is really where the story begins and ends on that military front. Because this not film about manoeuvres, or the strategic taking of a hill. This film is an ideological journey of soldiers souls through a seemingly pointless battle. A journey where life-long mental scars are inflicted upon young men. Some subtle, some horrific.
Characters in this film drift in and out. This film has no real main character. It jumps from person to person at its own free will. Although there are maybe five characters that get focused on, they still disappear and you just never known if they will come back. Maybe they are laying in the rubble with a bullet in their gut, rotting, you just never know, just like in war.
Malick does not let us find out about the characters through dialogue with other characters, or some other over-user cinematic technique, instead we are given insights into their minds. He uses rambling verses, flashbacks, insights into the conversations going on inside characters heads. Conversations which we all are constantly having with ourselves. This gives is what gives the film the edge we see and hear men crack on screen, we know why, because we know what is going on in their minds.
Every man creates their own island and that is what keeps them sane, that is what they think about most. Anyone how looses their island and lets the war become their world looses their soul. As is the case with Nick Nolte. He is so drunk on his own fear of the failure of his soon to be retired carrier, that he sells his own dignity and the lives of his men to try and climb another step on the military ladder. We know this in the first few minutes of the film through a simple voice over of his own thoughts. We know he despises what he has become.
We hear the thoughts of Witt through poetic monologue, he is a spiritual being, played excellently by the new-comer Ben Chaplain., his face is a cold claim pool of emotions. He thinks about a life beyond this one, a tranquil existence, living in wooden huts and fishing in the bay. ( McDonald tried to convince me that he was already insane because he seems to have accepted the fact he could be killed and that he kills so clammily. I don't share that point of very view, but it is interesting. )
Sean Penn's character is the only main character kept at a distance, he is the enigma. At first he seems to be the hard ass, but subtle actions make us wonder about him. He has an interesting friendship with Witt. Sometimes seeming at odds against each other and other times old friends. As Witt said "I still see a spark in you"
We see that every man has his own mental hideaway. One thinks of his wife, when being shot at by faceless enemies, all he sees is the silent flashbacks. The captain prays to himself and thinks of the lives of his men. Everyone must keep their minds occupied.
This film is layered with symbolism. War against nature, war being apart of nature, nature looking down on mans ignorance. This film could have you arguing for hours. And I wont even begin to get into it. But nature is a huge factor in this film. We get shots of grassy covered hills, animals, plants and you could even say the native tribes people. There is a very brief slow-motion shot of men being blow back by some artillery fire and right across the shot floats a blue butterfly, every frame is a work of art, it's amazing.
Now, I have seen this film twice and on both of those occasions I can count only one person( Shator , who still was over-critical ) who even mildly warmed to the film as I did. Every one else felt that it was pointless, there was no story, they were always waiting for something big to happen. Well it did, they just watched the film the from the wrong perspective.
I would not recommend it if you were looking for some easy viewing, then I would recommend Saving Private Ryan, don't get me wrong I liked Private Ryan a lot. But this is a far better "War is Hell" film, this is a work of art.
