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9 comments
13 comments
Rank This Matchup or Comment/Reply Below
on 9/24/2009
Here's one I have a lot to say about. These two films could not be more different, besides the fact that they are both WW2 films, and I think THE THIN RED LINE suffered criminal neglect in the shadow of PRIVATE RYAN, which was released a few months earlier to huge box office and positive reviews. THE THIN RED LINE was must more difficult for people to digest in 1998, one of the last years of true naivete before it became hip to release anti-war films; RYAN, with all it's flag-waving and heroic portrayals of soldiers and demonizing of Germans, is about as politically correct as a John Wayne movie. Terrence Malick's cinema is corrosive to agendas like that, but history is finding him increasingly important. One was directed by the guy who made THE LOST WORLD, and the other is directed by a Rhode Scholar.
on 7/4/2010
The Thin Red Line, hands down.
on 3/12/2011
I have been thinking about this pairing a lot, after seeing Saving Private Ryan for the fist time. I think I will actually go with The Thin Red Line, because it stands out not only as a piece of great cinematography, but also as a film that brings up many interesting questions about war.
When they were released in theaters, I chose to see the Thin Red Line. Looking back, I wish I had chosen Private Ryan.
No doubt about it, The Thin Red Line. I saw them both on release and liked Saving Private Ryan more. It's got the edge when it comes to gruelling, lengthy action sequences. Ultimately Malick does it better. Rewatching The Thin Red Line is a beautiful, haunting experience. The effect of war on the soul.
Wow, these comments surprise me. Both are intense good films but Saving Private Ryan is simply better.
on 12/1/2011
I don't know about you, I liked The Thin Red Line better. I liked the overall atmosphere and the characters better then Private Ryan.
on 1/22/2012
This one is easy.
on 1/26/2012
The Thin Red Line is my favourite movie of all time - SPR is just an average Spielberg effort.
on 1/27/2012
How can you seriously think SPR is better than The Thin Red Line? Don't get me wrong, I think SPR is great, but this isn't even close. Every Malick film is better than anything Spielberg ever did.
The Thin Red Line Had a better story and character development. Before the midway point I was already invested in the characters. SPR kinda just throws you into it and doesn't take the time to develop the characters. In fact I totally forgot SPR existed when I watched the show Band Of Brothers. I choose The Thin Red Line. Great film and great actors.
on 5/9/2012
AhhhH! this is too difficult...
on 7/10/2012
The Thin Red Line is the masterpiece here despite Ryan's stunning opening sequence.
on 8/21/2012
I find every scene to be excellent in Saving Private Ryan. Whist I like The Thin Red Line, I found that it dragged a lot. I don't find the patriotic stuff in Saving Private Ryan to be a problem as some do (I'm not even American and I think it's fine). Both films are unique and it's true that The Thin Red Line had an unlucky release date, but I still have to say that Saving Private Ryan is a much better film in my opinion.
on 1/24/2013
Pretty easy for me.
on 1/25/2013
The Thin Red Line for me. I usually rolls my eyes at the "Spielberg is a boy scout" argument. Yeah, he's a boy scout. But who gives a shit? Excuse the crude analogy, but cinema's a fucking rainbow, guys. Rainbow's aren't red, red, and red. We've got room for cinematic boy scouts. And when a guy makes movies like Jaws, Duel, and Jurassic Park, who cares how easy they are to digest? On a visceral level, Saving Private Ryan is fantastic. It's totally black-and-white, but it's still a damn fine movie. Still, I'll take TRL's combination of the serene and the chaotic. It's got some wonderful acting and the thing's filled with beautiful, beautiful moments. Some find it boring, and I totally get that, but I ain't one of those people.
The Thin Red Line by far.
on 3/9/2013
Both are great, but Malick's film was a bit too preachy, too long, and too self indulgent for me to choose it over Private Ryan. SPR also had a much smoother pace, imo.
on 4/1/2013
The Thin Red Line, no contest here.
on 4/2/2013
The Thin Red Line squanders it's star-studded cast on Malick's usual brand of vaguely-beautiful navel-gazing. Saving Private Ryan is the most emotionally impactful, and all-around best war film I've seen. My decision is easy.
on 6/24/2013
I should watch Thin Red Line again before ranking it.
on 10/21/2013
Thin Red Line was a great war film that any decent filmmaker would be proud of, but it is more flawed and less effective with inferior effects, casting, writing, editing, and directing. Thin Red Line could have cut out 5-30 minutes of cheesiness and would have been a better movie for it. Even some of the aspects where Thin Red Line is most successful (emotional impact and cinematography), Saving Private Ryan's Spielberg and Kaminski did just as well, if not better.
on 12/28/2013
SPR is the superior movie,but TTRL comes close.
on 4/22/2014
Saving Private Ryan
on 5/24/2014
Definetily The Thin red line. Saving private Ryan is this very american take on world war 2. Spielberg really can't make well made serious movies except Minority report and Jaws if you wanna call it serious but ET is definetily his best work not being that serious but having great themes about family,friendship and change. Saving private Ryan is good techinacally but The Thin red line is cinematically and philosophically obviously the better film
Definitely Saving Private Ryan. It just hit me a lot harder
on 10/15/2014
Thin Red Line, by a distance.
on 12/30/2014
Saving Private Ryan for superior action
on 9/9/2016
how can you choose saving privare ryan? are you retarded?
on 9/10/2016
Hot damn, these are intense. Yet, Saving Private Ryan is better in every way.
