i could tell it's a book

Rating: Null/10 (29 February 2004)

Before getting into the movie, I had no idea cold mountain was initially a book. but as I was watching it, I was almost certain of it. which can only tell how the director grasped the book to its bits. All the work done with the characters, their development throughout the movie, their purpose and intersections was indeed felt and understood. notice how Ada started off, how she matured all along and how she ended up (you can see her becoming that old woman who provided Inman with food, medicine and words of wisdom).
I really liked how the movie begins with harsh present war scenes and soothing peaceful flashbacks in parallel. It places us right inside Inman's head. makes us understand everything. How a man feels in the field of the battle. Why he had to think of ada then and keep her inside him all along. And why, although they had only exchanged a few words, she was a reason good enough for him to risk his life back to cold mountain. The director did a brilliant job making us understand the characters insides, perspectives and motives.
can't remember when was the last time I enjoyed let alone believe an intense love story. the fact that Inman and Ada barely knew each doesn't make the story the least naive. I think that human beings are capable of such love, especially at times of war (that goes for great wars of men and small wars of our own lives) it's just that our structured minds won't let us believe it. But if we give ourselves the chance and are lucky enough of course, such a scenario is not so far from reality. And if. If the illusion of someone or something shall keeps us alive, I say hold on to the illusion and never let go.
the movie beautifully puts us in touch with that lost wonderful part in us.
other than that, the movie is so much more than a love story. It's about bitter war and what it makes of men. how the evil in us finds a way to create wars in already existing wars just for us to have a purpose. How men need a war to be in this world. And how in the middle of all, one forgets what he once knew and eventually what he's fighting for.

I felt that in the movie, every word had its place, every character its function. and at the end, i felt like i was reading a book not watching a movie. and that sure counts. The movie was pretty intense. It's painful and beautiful.
It's Ice cold and heart aching warmth in sync.