For me, this film was great. It did not just deal with war but with suffering and the meaning of life. This film actually gave me a sense of peace after watching it. This film is a war film but much more than that it is a film that challenges people to think about life in ways that they may never have before. The cinematography was beautiful, the performance, especially by Jim Caviezel were superb, and the battle scenes were harrowing and extremely well done. I was glad Terrence Malick decided to make this film (since he had not done a film since 1978's "Days of Heaven"). It's a masterpiece.