Epic!

Rating: 9/10 (16 October 2014)

At four and half hours long, this is like sitting through three 90 minute movies or two 2+ hour movies. It was a marathon but it was soooooooo worth it. Simply amazing. Not perfect, unfortunately, but worth just about every one of those 250 minutes! The Battle Of Gettysburg in the American Civil War was a monster fight over the course of three days leaving in its wake approximately 50,000 casualties. Not all of the battle is portrayed here as the movie would need to be 10 hours long! The main focus is on Joshua Chamberlain's hold of Little Round Top on Day 2 and Pickett's Charge on Day 3. Amongst many notable performances, there were tremendous performances by Jeff Daniels as Chamberlain as well as Sam Elliot as Union General John Buford. Unfortunate casting of Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee and C. Thomas Howell as Chamberlain's brother don't ruin things too much. Lee should have been more of a commanding actor, taller, more in your face so his underlings had no chance to argue against him. But he was on the bad guy's side so I did not feel too badly about that casting choice. The North's fight was the point of view I was interested in. Background of characters is not strong nor is the sentiments of those fighting. Why are they fighting? Chamberlain gives one of many speeches in the film about fighting to free men. One soldier from the South says he's fighting for the the South's rights (which means to own slaves.) Lee's #1 man, General Longstreet, also laments the South should have freed the slaves before starting the war. (He may have meant this for political reasons -- to gain England's support -- though after the war he was also outspoken for equal rights for blacks.) Not much more than that is spoken on the slavery issue as the film primarily wants to show the fight. And that it did. As I said right at the start -- epic. At times I sat stunned in horror at the fighting that took place. I cried at being so thankful so many fought to the last to defend freedom of all men. Now, I know that's not why every man put on the uniform and took up arms, but Colonel Chamberlain's sentiment alone on that had me in tears. Wow. I went to Gettysburg National Military Park as a youngin' and could not understand it's full meaning as I could as an adult. Now I'm ready to go back to observe this hallowed ground. Why did I never see this movie until now? Glad I finally did. It takes preparation to sit through 4 1/2 hours but I will surely do it again one day!
8.9 / 10 stars
--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener