This great evil. Where does it come from? How'd it steal into the world?

The Thin Red Line

(1998)

Terrence Malick's return to directing after nigh-on 20 years absence. It's a stunning meditation on war, existence and the value of life, anchored by contemplative voice-overs (mostly from the nominal lead, a powerfully unaffected and open performance from Jim Cavaziel) and Hans Zimmer's beautiful score. Together they harmonise with the images of brutality, which themselves are juxtaposed against the ever-present natural world (which abides, despite the carnage inflicted by man).  It's unsurprising that Oscar discussions surrounding that year focus on how Shakespeare in Love "stole" Spielberg's "rightful" victory, but it's this film that stands head and shoulders above its fellow nominees.

There was discussion at the time of how the famous names involved could distract from the content, but it's only Travolta's (at the start) and Clooney's (at the end) that do this through being extremely brief and of no great consequence (although a rather twirly Travolta does set up the aggressively prideful behaviour of Nolte's colonel.) Nolte gives as grippingly an unsympathetic performance as Elias Koteas does a sympathetic one. The other roles of note are Ben Chaplin's (who is granted as much meditative time in his heartfelt yearning for his wife as Cavaziel) and Sean Penn's hardened-but-not-yet-numb sergeant.

The extras on the blu ray have a few deleted scenes, but none feature Viggo Mortensen, Gary Oldman, Billy Bob Thornton or Martin Sheen. We do get to see Mickey Rourke's strung-out sniper briefly, though.

*****