4/5 Stars

Plot: “Adaptation of James Jones’ autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War.” -IMDB

Review: I once read “that war is the devolution of man.” I also heard it said, “war begins when compromise ends.” Who to attribute these quotes to is unknown to me, but I wholeheartedly believe both to be true.

Looking at the full breadth of American cinema, you might find yourself hard pressed to find films telling a full and honest accounting of what it means to wage war. Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, We Were Soldiers, and Saving Private Ryan come to mind most immediately as stories wrestling with the complexities of battle. In my experience, most films wrap themselves in the flag and attempt to tell a story of glory triumphing over evil. As citizens of the world, hopefully, we understand the world is more nuanced than that.

There is little glory to be found in The Thin Red Line. As we watch American soldiers attempt to take Guadalcanal in the first major land battle between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan, it did not strike me with blind patriotism or hatred for a country that attacked my homeland. Instead, I was floored by how out of place these mostly white faces looked as they landed on the beach and made their way through the jungle.

Instead of bravery and rage, we sit with each man’s anticipation of war. In these silent meditations and prayers, we come to understand their fears, why they are fighting, and who they are hoping to return to when this war is through. Not everyone is brave. Most are afraid of dying. All of them hope against hope they can make it out alive.

As they attempt to overtake a hill where Japanese forces are entrenched in bunkers, the vibrancy of the green landscape is broken with sprays of blood, explosions from overhead, and the screams of men who are not long for this world. We see leaders emerge focused on acts of perseverance; leaders who understand the humanity behind each person in their command. They are not just disposable weapons of war.

Naturally, these leaders clash with the chain of command as lives are lost. Patient combat never seems to mean much to those with something to prove. In these scenes, we learn bravery is often masking ego, and ego might just be the most destructive force in a war.

As the hill is taken, celebration and reward take over. With countless casualties, I think we grow to understand the true cost of war. With lives lost, bodies destroyed, and minds wrecked forever, there is no glory to be found in war. Sure, war reveals heroes and gives nations rally points, but it is a destructive force scarring everything it touches. The Thin Red Line reveals this truth with a ferocity that is hard to ignore. Without a doubt, this movie changed me forever and made me long for peace.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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