Historically Asinine, Tremendously Depressing Entertainment!

Rating: 1/10 (26 January 2004)

When the historical context of a film that is based in a setting as well documented and relevant as the American Civil War is so completely falsified as is contrived in this film there is only one thing to do: turn off the brain and try to enjoy the movie on its entertainment merits alone. Unfortunately, this film is so depressing there is no entertainment value. In a word, Blech!
Even illiterates involved in the Civil War had clearly understood at least the basic reasons they were fighting. Both sides had concrete and heart-felt convictions to the last man. There is no excuse for painting it as a Vietnam style political fiasco-- even allowing that over simplistic view of Vietnam-- other than outright ignorance or a desire to revise public perception of what really happened. Read a book, people!
Hollywood's obsession with antichristian themes is annoyingly prevailant these days, but here we have a blatant case of malicious slander against anything related to church, even though the moral influences of christians in general played an enormous role in America's growth and stability, and particularly in Abe Lincoln's resolve to follow moral issues rather than political ones in fighting the Civil War, to the ongoing benefit of African-Americans and the United States overall. Contrary to Hollywood idiocy, men of the cloth are not and have not been the scum of the earth as a matter of habit(present Catholic controversies notwithstanding).