Great reenactment, but a great movie ?

Rating: 8/10 (21 April 2002)

As a German, i didn't know much about the Civil War except what you learn in GWTW, so i wasn't sure what to expect when Gettysburg was offered in 2 parts on TNT Europe. I was quite impressed with the overwhelming battle action and the great number of extras and members of historical units, but i wasn't sure on the acting. Best performance is definitively by Jeff Daniels as the unwilling teacher-converted-to-leader hero. I only knew him as a soft failure e.g. in Terms of Endearment or even worse in Dumb and Dumber, but he really gives live to a historical figure. Closest to him is Tom Berenger terribly disguised with a 3 year beard, but showing the desperation of somebody knowing the disaster to come, but unable to stop it. Many other "historical" roles suffer from their history, they hardly dare to live as humans, as if their heroic picture in the history books might suffer from it. First to name Martin Sheen, literally suppressed by being the failing hero, also Sam Elliott and Richard Jordan. Anyway, it gives some idea about the heroic foolishness of the Civil War, especially from the southern side and provides great entertainment and suspension. What more can you ask, if you know the results for more than 135 years ?