Thin Red Line isn't explicitly leftist, but has implicit points. Lots of subtext about how man relates to his own nature, and the nature around him. The movie was compared heavily to Saving Private Ryan, but that's really just bullshit. SPR was run of the mill shit, while Thin Red Line forces the characters to confront a real and human enemy. There's also a lot in the dialogue about war's material reality, including the schizophrenic nature of defending property vs ideas.
The film is kind of overwrought with philosophical considerations from the POV of the characters, though. Generally you're probably just going to get chud shit from your average soldier, so to see some of the stuff in this movie can seem a little too on the nose.
I've always wanted to see the 4.5+ hour directors cut Terrance Malick originally edited for the studio. They rejected that and forced him to cut 1.5 hours off.
Also, I strongly agree that the Saving Private Ryan comparison is weak as hell. SPR was totally about how war is actually not the worst because it makes heroes, or brings out courage. Its such a romanticized, touchy feely Hollywood view on war.
Thin Red Line is the most philosophical war movie that will ever be made by a major studio. I don't think a studio will ever make a blockbuster like it again. It is deeply anti war, something that you never really see for how we portray WWII. Hands down my favorite movie of all time.
Thin Red Line isn't explicitly leftist, but has implicit points. Lots of subtext about how man relates to his own nature, and the nature around him. The movie was compared heavily to Saving Private Ryan, but that's really just bullshit. SPR was run of the mill shit, while Thin Red Line forces the characters to confront a real and human enemy. There's also a lot in the dialogue about war's material reality, including the schizophrenic nature of defending property vs ideas.
The film is kind of overwrought with philosophical considerations from the POV of the characters, though. Generally you're probably just going to get chud shit from your average soldier, so to see some of the stuff in this movie can seem a little too on the nose.
I've always wanted to see the 4.5+ hour directors cut Terrance Malick originally edited for the studio. They rejected that and forced him to cut 1.5 hours off.
Also, I strongly agree that the Saving Private Ryan comparison is weak as hell. SPR was totally about how war is actually not the worst because it makes heroes, or brings out courage. Its such a romanticized, touchy feely Hollywood view on war.
Thin Red Line is the most philosophical war movie that will ever be made by a major studio. I don't think a studio will ever make a blockbuster like it again. It is deeply anti war, something that you never really see for how we portray WWII. Hands down my favorite movie of all time.
Came here to recommend this. Great movie