Long, but worth the time

Rating: 8/10 (29 August 2001)

Gettysburg is (obviously) about a battle, and that's what it sticks to: historical figures, strategy, the emotion of war. No doomed romances, or even fancy special effects. The story is told from both sides: we get to know the individuals, and we find ourselves liking and disliking characters from both North and South. These factors give the movie a sense of reality and honesty without all the stuff that often gets thrown in just to manufacture a blockbuster. Jeff Daniels and Thomas Howell gave my favourite performances of the movie, and I really liked the relationship between the brothers. Some parts did drag a bit, making me wonder why the four-hour length was really necessary, especially when sitting through a seemingly unending sequence of marching, marching, marching....Overall, an interesting and entertaining movie I would definitely recommend.