It’s another visually striking film from Malick, consistent with his previous style, but this one offers a more engaging narrative than *Tree of Life*. However, I feel its own lofty goals and attempts at something grander ultimately work against it because *A Hidden Life* lingers for quite some time. While Malick sticks to the familiar formula in terms of both storytelling and visuals, this particular story feels distinct—perhaps because he’s taking us back in time, giving the film's visual atmosphere a unique quality, unlike movies such as *To The Wonder*, *Knight of Cups*, and *Song to Song*. As usual, Malick doesn't seem to push his actors particularly hard, so the romantic scenes can feel somewhat familiar. Still, because the story itself is more meaningful, these moments carry greater weight this time around. The main issue, as I mentioned, is its length. The film runs just under three hours, and given the way the narrative unfolds, that feels excessive. I won’t deny that *A Hidden Life* is a beautiful and worthwhile film, but it's undeniably long. I really enjoyed it; I would happily see it again. However, trimming about an hour could make it feel more streamlined, though I recognize this was Malick’s intention—to allow viewers to fully immerse themselves in his vision. Again, I appreciated it a great deal; it's Malick's best work since *Tree of Life*, and any serious film enthusiast should find something to appreciate or at least be impressed by.

Source on TMDB