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THE THIN RED LINE
The basic interactive menus provide access to the standard scene selection and set up features. Due the film's hefty 170 minute running time and the inclusion of a DTS soundtrack, the DVD offers no extras. I found THE THIN RED LINE to be an incredible motion picture experience, with a tremendous DVD presentation. Even if you have only a passing interest in this film, you would do well to seek out this DVD and make it part of you collection. Highly recommended. |
This DVD review 
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DVD
reviews are Copyright © 2001 THE CINEMA LASER and may not be copied
or reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. |
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THE
THIN RED LINE ($30) is a stirring and oftentimes beautiful movie that
shows the horrors of war and how the fighting men deal with it. Set in
the Pacific during World War II, THE THIN RED LINE is very effective
in contrasting the tranquility on an unspoiled landscape, with the onslaught
of man, machinery and weapons. Within its fluid and almost poetic imagery,
THE THIN RED LINE tells its battle line story from several different
viewpoints. The movie relies heavily on voiceovers and flashbacks to show
inner workings of its characters, with some trying to deal with the war
by escaping into their memories of home and family, while others fantasize
about the peaceful beauty that exists outside of the war. This internalization
gives THE THIN RED LINE a deep and dreamlike quality, which one
would not typically find in a war movie.
Since
THE THIN RED LINE tells its story from a number of viewpoints,
the movie doesn't have a definitive star, but instead relies on a terrific
ensemble cast. Sean Penn delivers a truly standout performance as the
experienced sergeant who understands the war and the men fighting under
him better than the commanding officers. Elias Koteas is perfectly cast
as the compassionate captain, who is unwilling to let his men be needlessly
slaughtered. Nick Nolte is truly impressive as the film's most unlikable
character, a commanding officer, who hopes to jumpstart his undistinguished
career by winning an important battle regardless of the cost in human
life. Jim Caviezel and Ben Chaplin give the film's most affecting performances
as two soldiers who have escaped from the war in different ways, but are
then forced to deal with its harsh realities. The outstanding cast of
THE THIN RED LINE also features George Clooney, John Cusack, Woody
Harrelson, Jared Leto, John C. Reilly, John Savage and John Travolta.
20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment has done a truly spectacular job with their
second DVD release of THE THIN RED LINE. Although the first DVD
was presented in anamorphic enhanced wide screen, the new DVD has only
been upgraded in the audio department to incorporate a DTS soundtrack.
The 16:9 enhanced image on the DVD is framed at 2.35:1 and is truly a
magnificent site to behold. Every subtle nuance on the image is clearly
visible, making the sharp, highly defined transfer demonstration quality.
Colors are generally quite realistic, with the lush greens of the jungle
vegetation appearing completely convincing. Blood reds can be intense,
but for the most part, none of the hues appear over saturated. There is
no chroma noise, nor do the stronger colors bleed beyond their boundaries.
Blacks are solid and inky, plus the picture provides smooth contrast and
excellent shadow detail. Efficient dual layer authoring prevents any visible
signs of digital compression artifacts from marring this exemplary presentation.
The
Dolby Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack is one of the best tracks that I
have ever encountered. There are plenty of showy moments during the battle
scenes, in which the track comes to explosive life, but this isn't what
impressed me about the DVD's audio. What I found aurally pleasing, were
the subtleties of the sound mix, as well as the spaciousness of the entire
360-degree soundstage. There is an open, effortless quality about the
soundtrack that is difficult to describe, other than to say that the film's
quiet moments are enveloping, engaging and convincingly real. In the combat,
mode the mix is fully directional with aggressive deployment of the split
surround channels. Dialogue is reproduced with a natural timbre and every
utterance remains fully intelligible. The bass channel is full and powerful,
which gives in you face realism to weapon's fire and explosions. Hans
Zimmer's has composed a wonderfully stirring score that is mixed into
the soundtrack to maintain its full musical integrity. As good as the
Dolby Digital track is, the 5.1 channel DTS soundtrack adds another dimension
of warmth and richness to the film's sound effects, to the bass channel,
and especially to Hans Zimmer's music. While DTS does have a sonic edge
here, viewers shouldn't feel shortchanged if their system only offers
Dolby Digital compatibility. An English Dolby Surround soundtrack is also
encoded onto the DVD, as English and Spanish subtitles. 
