Romanticized war film that hasn't aged very well

Rating: 5/10 (16 May 2020)

War is dirty, ugly and desperate, especially a civil war, in its 3rd year, fought by conscripts and volunteers. Among the troops on either side there are differences in class, means, power and origin. While there is plenty of violence and battle scenes, you don't get much of a sense for the power dynamics, the passions and hatreds, the gritty ugliness of a nation tearing itself apart. It's as if the film is holding back, so as not to offend or put off audiences. It's a film about an bitterly fought civil war but this film offends no one.
The dialogue between characters is interesting. The location and cinematography very good. Mostly, I found the soundtrack overwrought and dated, making the film feel overly romanticized and out of step with the subject matter. Sometimes it seemed like a bunch of reenactors got together to make a movie.
Perhaps this movie should be remastered and updated, stripping the film of the musical score. A version could also be paired with some commentary from history experts, to provide some context that feels missing at times.