Cold Mountain (2003)

How sad is this?

best movie i've ever seen.

A Masterpiece!

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Cold MountainA typical love story set in a war zone that wanders onto the same lash and delivers it convincingly but unfortunately its the same meal we have been having for the course of its runtime. Anthony Minghella; also the director of The English Patient, is back with a similar project no matter how much admirable, in the end it all seems been-here-done-that. The feature scores majestically on performance level where Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Renee Zellweger are doing some of their career's best work. Cold Mountain; being a character driven feature, goes deep into it where the priority is set to project the bonding between the lead characters (Jude restraining himself from being seduced and Nicole suffering through loss was the perfect way to bind this parallel roles on screen) which is fulfilled utterly by the script.

Cold Mountain touches all of the social issues that occured at the end of the Civil War leading into the era of Reconstruction. Ada (Nicole Kidman) falls in love with a shy man Inman (Jude Law). Inman gets sent off into the war, as a Confederate soldier, where the whole thing explodes, and leds him on a journey to find his one true love Ada back at Cold Mountain. Inman faces a perilous journey where he is captured, held at gunpoint, as well as dealing with prostitutes and the homes guardsmen of the South. The movie starts out very strong with the Battle of Petersburg, but quickly fades and slows down leaving audiences bored. However, director Anthony Minghella did display a work that was very unique regarding a Civil War film. Technically, this film is very pleasing. Minghella captured correct lighting to show the emotions of the era, and particular characters, yet did not cast properly. Renee Zellweger's character of Ruby was the only believable character in the film, when it came to the "look" and accent. Overall the film was good, but just couldn't live up to the greatest Civil War romance movie of all time; Gone With the Wind.

This movie expertly illustrates a different point of view than most are likely used to. Politics are largely neglected in this film, as opposed to the exclusively political conflicts depicted in Lincoln and other such films documenting the Civil War Era. Instead,the struggles and tribulations of an average confederate soldier brings the atrocities of the war, and its impact on the entire south into context for viewers. Viewers are able to, in a very emotional way, experience the horror of battle, as well as the effect on all walks of life in the south. The film details several battles between the Union and Confederate forces, all of which are barbaric bloody brawls. It brings to light the desperation of the soldiers to survive, as well as the near-fervor for their own cause. The way in which southern soldiers were shown to fight reflects the honor and the warrior mentality that the south had at the time, which bolstered its efforts against the Union. Historical accuracy seems rather evident. Conflict existed all across the South during this time period, and it seems accurate that there would be Union Soldiers desperate enough to raid entire towns, steal livestock and supplies, and terrorize locals, seeking food. A mother is encountered by Inman, who misses her husband enough that she would lie with him to recall her husband's presence. It is safe to assume that the husband was also drawn away by the war. The conflict affects every person in the country, and this film makes the situation heartfelt, and as evidently volatile and conflict-ridden as it must have been to actually experience it. The choice to steer clear of political dealings, and focus solely on the domestic effects and tolls that the war took, serves this film well, and it engages viewers, as well as drawing them into the time period. One can truly learn about the war, as well as the time period from watching this film.

Why are Anthony Minghella's films so plodding? I remember seeing THE English PATIENT at cinemas back in the day and being astonished at how long it felt. Okay, TRULY MADLY DEEPLY was acceptable but still could have been shortened a little. COLD MOUNTAIN is the worst yet, as what should be a Civil War epic turns out to be a lengthy and often routine melodrama with little to recommend it.Perhaps the novel was at fault too, although as I haven't read it I can't comment. The film is told from the point of view of Jude Law, a wounded soldier whose sole purpose is to get back home to the woman he loves (Nicole Kidman). The film chronicles Law's journey throughout, so why then do we get all the needless boring scenes of Kidman pining for him back home? Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, in comes Renee Zellweger with a supposedly comedic character and proceeds to reduce it to pantomime level.There are elements to enjoy in COLD MOUNTAIN, not least the battle sequences which are well mounted. Law comes into contact with various characters as the story progresses, some of them engaging (Philip Seymour Hoffman), others less so; Ray Winstone seems particularly underdeveloped in a supporting role. But after a couple of hours or so it all gets rather repetitive, and you wish they'd just get on with it instead of dragging things out so much. The ending is particularly anticlimactic.