Not a masterpiece, but a good movie...

Rating: 8/10 (23 February 2006)

Most critics have valid points when commenting on this film, especially Ebert when he sums up the film with "It says too much, and yet leaves too much unsaid". Having said this, I think the critics are far tougher on this film than they should be.
Yes, the movie does seem a little "incomplete", but for that to be fixed, it should probably have lasted over 10 hours! Other than that, this is a very well directed film (as usual, Oliver Stone's action scenes are amazingly realistic and well made), a relatively accurate, honest historical reconstruction with some excellent cinematography, special f/x, soundtrack and some great acting! This is a hell of a lot more than most recent Hollywood productions can claim for themselves.
To sum up, yes, the film has many flaws, which if fixed would have made it into a masterpiece, but we cannot denigrate it because it is 'only' a good movie instead.