The “greatest ever” war film has been added to Disney Plus, with those who watch it being left feeling emotional. Nearly three decades after its release, 1998 war drama The Thin Red Line is now available to stream on the popular subscription service.
Penned and directed by Terrence Malick, the film presents a fictionalised account of the Battle of Mount Austen during World War II, with a star-studded cast including Adrien Brody, George Clooney, Sean Penn, Woody Harrelson, and John Travolta. The Oscar-nominated film centres on the 1943 clash at Guadalcanal, and is inspired by James Jones’ autobiographical novel.
It sees the US Army land to quash the final resistance of the Japanese forces. The gruelling battle tests the soldiers physically and emotionally, with scenes unveiling the stark realities of war from their viewpoint.
An IMDB synopsis reads: “The reasons for this war get further away as the world for the men gets smaller and smaller until their fighting is for mere survival and the life of the other men with them.”
After getting rave reviews and a smashing performance at the box office, The Thin Red Line found itself named in every major category at the 1999 Oscars – including nods for Best Picture and Best Director. However, fans complained that it was “snubbed” as it didn’t bag any awards that year.
One viewer was left profoundly moved, declaring it the “most impactful film” they’d ever seen, while another critic hailed it as “one of the greatest war movies ever made”.
A critic’s glowing review on on Rotten Tomatoes read: “Majestic, harrowing. A feat, an example of the beautiful heights that the art of cinema can reach. The only movie to ever move me to tears out of sheer beauty, which might sound counterintuitive because this is a movie about war.”
However, another compared it to other classic war films, saying: “It’s no Apocalypse Now or Saving Private Ryan, but it truly stands on its own as a beautifully shot war film.”
The esteemed war flick is available to watch now on Disney+, and is available for rent via Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and from the Sky Store.