Visually stunning, but overlong

Rating: 7/10 (20 September 2006)

I never read the novel that "Cold Mountain" was based on, nor do I expect I ever will, but it seems that several elements must have arrived intact from the text.
The film of "Cold Mountain" is a sweeping romantic epic, heavy on the epic and voice-over narration, and low on any real purpose. It's a flawed, but highly entertaining piece of work that leans heavily on it's terrific musical score, cinematography, and cast of supporting characters.
With an unnecessary two and a half hour running time, "Cold Mountain" has plenty of time to present minor characters played by familiar faces. These minor characters combined with startling war scenes and intense torture scenes together create the most vivid picture of the South during the Civil War. Unfortunately the film feels weighed down by so much material.