The love epic of the year

Rating: 8/10 (26 December 2003)

Having read a great deal about the film during its production, I have to admit that Cold Mountain was my most anticipated movie of the year. Now, having finally seen it, I'm pleased to say that not only did it live up to my expectations; it has exceeded them in many occasions.

Through its portrayal of the brutality of war, Cold Mountain more importantly conveys a powerful love story that transcends distance.
Aside from the breathtaking cinematography that takes us into the world of Cold Mountain, director Anthony Minghella yet again managed to assemble such a group of talents as his leading characters. Because so many have already commented on the scene-stealing performance given by Renee Zellweger, let us focus on the other two, more subdued, performances given by Jude Law and Nicole Kidman. We should observe things from a different perspective. Unlike Ruby, Inman and Ada are much more introverted. They do not easily reveal their emotions through gesture or speech; instead, they most often communicate silently through their eyes that convey the sense of hope, of despair, and most importantly of love.
In addition, worth mentioning is that even though the two lovers, separated by war, are not to be seen in the same scene for the majority of the film, Minghella, through his juxtaposition of certain scenes, hints a sense of an emotional interaction between Inman and Ada. These poignant yet subtle details are what convince the audience of the reality and the passions of the love between these two characters.