Prime Video is about to lose one of the best war movies ever made — and it's just as good as ‘Saving Private Ryan'

Tom's Guide

28-05-2025

'Saving Private Ryan' casts a pretty long shadow over the war movie genre.
The 1998 Steven Spielberg classic is beloved and acclaimed for very good reason. It's fantastic. But did you know that in the very same year, another WWII movie hit theaters, and it's every bit as powerful and well-crafted.
I'm, of course, talking about Terrence Malick's 'The Thin Red Line.' Released on Christmas Day 1998, it grossed less than a quarter of 'Saving Private Ryan's' total, and while it picked up seven Oscar nominations ('Ryan' scooped 11, winning five), it never managed to get out of such a heavy shadow.
Over the years, it has remained a cult classic of the genre, and several acclaimed filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese, have lauded it among their favorite flicks of the decade. And right now, you can stream 'The Thin Red Line' on Prime Video in the U.S.
Unfortunately, it won't be around much longer, as it's set to be removed from the streaming service on Saturday, May 31. Here's why you need to make time to stream it before then.
Based on the novel of the same name by American author James Jones, who served in the United States Army during World War II, 'The Thin Red Line' is a fictional story, but inspired by Jones' own experience during the global conflict.
Set in the Pacific Theatre, it centers on Charlie Company, a group of young soldiers deployed to the island of Guadalcanal to help secure key military locations in an effort to prevent the Japanese forces from advancing further.
As the true horrors and the scale of the conflict dawn on the members of Charlie Company, their reasons for enlisting fade into the background, and their battle becomes one of survival. Tight friendships are formed on the frontline as they rely on each other, and they become a band of brothers.
'The Thin Red Line' stars Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel, Ben Chaplin, George Clooney, John Cusack, John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson, Jared Leto and John Travolta. How's that for a star-filled cast?
One of my favorite war movies of all time is 'All Quiet on the Western Front,' and in many ways, 'The Thin Red Line' feels cut from the same cloth.
This is a war movie where conflict is not presented as some valiant battleground where action heroes are born, but instead as a truly traumatizing nightmare that sees good men pay the ultimate price to protect others.
There's no denying that it's a heavy watch. Clocking in at almost three hours, it borders on relentlessly grim on occasion, and thanks to Malick's incredible direction, you always feel right there alongside the soldiers of Charlie Company facing these unbearable horrors on the frontlines.
The score by the legendary Hans Zimmer plays a huge part in making each emotional moment truly connect. Each dramatic scene is appropriately matched with a musical cue that only heightens the impact.
Even better, the cast performances measure up. There's no frontrunner in the bunch, like Tom Hanks in 'Private Ryan." Instead, the focus is on the ensemble with each character bringing something to the table and leaving a mark.
As noted, Martin Scorsese ranked it as his second-favorite movie of the 1990s (the very under-seen 'Horse Thief' took the top spot), while legendary film critic Gene Siskel was seriously impressed as well.
'This is the finest contemporary war film I've seen, supplanting Steven Spielberg's 'Saving Private Ryan' from earlier this year, or even Oliver Stone's 'Platoon' from 1986,' Siskel said on an episode of 'Siskel & Ebert' and awarded it the show's highest rating, two thumbs up.
I implore you to give 'The Thin Red Line' a watch this week before it leaves Prime Video at the end of the month. It may not offer hours of thrilling entertainment, but it's a masterful war movie made by a director at the peak of their powers. Just remember, you've only got until May 28 to watch.
Watch "The Thin Red Line" on Prime Video until May 28