January 17, 1999 -- "The Thin Red Line" is one of the most beautiful looking war films you will ever see, filled with wonderful images, colorful wildlife and gore. Perhaps with better editing and more spirited actors it could have been a great film, but it doesn't make the grade.

There are some fine actors in the film, but with the exception of Nick Nolte, their facial muscles seem to be injected with novocaine. The main character, Corporal Fife, (played by Adrien Brody) has a vacant stare and a southern drawl that would put anybody to sleep. The volatile Sean Penn, who plays Fife's friend, Sgt. Edward Welsh, ordinarily has enough energy to power an entire movie by himself, but shows no fire here.

Woody Harrelson brings some spark to his brief role as Sgt. Keck, but John Travolta still seems to be doing Clinton from "Primary Colors" instead of Brig. Gen. Quintard. George Clooney has only a bit role, while John Cusack rises above most of the rest as Capt. John Gaff. Nick Nolte chews up the scenery and breathes fire as the ambitious Lt. Col. Gordon Tall. He is over the top, but at least you can tell the guy has a pulse.

The story follows some soldiers through some battles on Guadalcanal, the scene of some of the fiercest fighting during World War II. Most of the action revolves around the distinct philosophies of Fife and Welsh. Fife, who would rather not be in the war at all, finds a bit of paradise while AWOL on a south sea island. Although his body returns to the war, his soul drifts back to the island every chance it gets, or back to his wife in the states. He seems to believe that all souls are connected.

Welsh, on the other hand, does not believe in a life after this one. He hardens himself against the world and looks out only for himself, hanging on grimly to his sanity in the midst of bloody chaos. He seems to be more of an existentialist, but he has admiration for Fife's ability to hang on to his humanity, of which he retains only a spark.

Noted director Terrence Malick plays with the audience early in the film, building tension as the troops march through enemy territory, waiting for an ambush. Key battle scenes have the soldiers ordered to make a suicidal charge up a steep hill against a dug-in enemy without benefit of cover. The battle scenes are bloody, but they wither in comparison to those of "Saving Private Ryan," a film which has raised the bar for war movies a foot or two above this effort.

Battle scenes are intercut with shots of wild animals. While Malick seems to be saying that nature is cruel, the camera doesn't show us that. Instead, we harken back to the native peoples and their island paradise, juxtaposed with the madness of modern war. "War ... turns men into dogs," intones a narrator, although that seems unjust to dogs.

What are we to make of this this movie that tries to be an epic, yet falls short of the mark? It is a good try, but it ends up being a muted, disjointed attempt to make a statement about life by dwelling on death. Part of the meandering nature of the film is due to the introduction of more characters than a Russian novel. Concentrating on fewer characters would have focused the movie more. Better narrators and better sound quality would have helped as well.

One thing you can't fault is the cinematography by John Toll. There are some fantastic images in this film. The battle scenes are also well done and there's some good stunt work. The story, an adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel is thought-provoking at times, but so emotionally muted it failed to draw me in. An interesting film, yes, but not very entertaining. It rates a C+.

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