Minghella and his mountain

Rating: 8/10 (21 May 2005)

Anthony Minghella, perhaps not a genius, but a storyteller. This film is a visual feast, the cinematography is in parts, breathtaking. Each camera angle adds to the simple message, this is not a story about the American Civil War, this is a story about love. Any person who is after realism will be sorely disappointed. Despite the constant historical references, Jude Law escaping and wandering back to Ada is something that in essence, is part of the theme of love, the theme of the beauty in love. Of course most instances are highly improbable and sometimes laughable e.g. that he can stray across a woman herding goats and be lifted by an old woman to be nurtured back to life, but what we must understand is that in film, nothing is realistic. Nothing is real. Accept that and I believe this film is incredible. So it may be designed to pull on the heartstrings, but what is cinema for if not for evoking emotion? Cold Mountain is not a masterpiece but is still a piece of art. Grudgingly, I'll accept some lines are cheesy, out of place, ridiculous, but isn't that what you want from a love story? Perhaps I am just a romantic but I found this gripping, not didn't find it long and boring, but then I enjoyed The English Patient. I'd say, definitely, this is worth watching.