Well he damn must be a killer angel.

Rating: 8/10 (8 July 2011)

Gettysburg is directed by Ronald F. Maxwell who also writes the screenplay based on Michael Shaara's novel The Killer Angels. It stars Tom Berenger, Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Stephen Lang, Kevin Conway and Sam Elliott. Randy Edelman scores the music and Kees Van Oostrum is the cinematographer. Film focuses on the events leading up to, and including, one of the most significant battles fought in the American Civil War in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 1-3, 1863.
It's estimated that between 46,000 and 53,000 soldiers were killed during the three day bloody battle of Gettysburg, this film production, originally intended as a mini-series, deals mostly in military operations and the heroism of the major players from both sides of the war. As is usual with a film of this type, there's some middling historical inaccuracies, but with such a gargantuan spread of characters and a four day period of the war to cover, it's perhaps a bit churlish to be picky? In the main the film was met with favourable responses by Civil War historians, reenactors and professional critics. Though the odd prominent critical voice could be heard, such as Gene Siskel who famously called the film Southern propaganda!
Ronald F. Maxwell, backed in the passion department by media mogul Ted Turner, has produced a rich and detailed reenactment of the Gettysburg events. It is in short as close to us film viewers are likely to get to the Battle of Gettysburg. The cast of many work real well to bring this piece of history into our lives, with Berenger and an outstanding Jeff Daniels particularly standing out amongst the acting hordes. With the actual fighting sequences, there's a real sense of the horror of war, this in a war that was initially thought would last only month, but ran for over four years. Bravado is high and we get a detailed look at the perseverance and military machinations of the officers in Blue and Gray. For detail and impact, Gettysburg delivers a movie of some substance. An entertaining picture that educates as much as it enthrals. While filming at the actual locations is obviously a major and poignant bonus.
Yet it's irksome to a degree to find that with a film of such substantial length and detail, that few outside of the officers arc's are afforded time and flesh to further enhance the soldiers of Gettysburg's characterisations. The Southern cause is also glossed over to stay safe with the political correctness of modern times. Lets not hide the defence of slavery, which was the most prominent factor under the Confederate flag, with the film doing so much to educate by way of telling its story, to syphon off a critical aspect is naughty and has to be seen as a cop out by the makers. However, Maxwell doesn't take sides and makes big efforts to paint the men of both sides as stoic nobles, sticking their chests out amongst the bombardment of bullets, cannon balls and bayonets, marching on against overwhelming odds.
A dramatic and involving movie experience, and worthy of a place of any list headed as containing great war movies. But a couple flaws stop it from being the classic war film that the efforts of those involved deserved. 8/10