Not quite as good as it should have been

Rating: 8/10 (7 February 1999)

As something of an American Civil War buff, I was hoping and maybe even expecting to love this movie. Unfortunately, there was something missing, although I can't really identify what wasn't there. Technically speaking, the film is flawless. The recreations are truly stunning, and the acting is about as good as it gets. So I'm not really sure how to accurately criticize this picture, since my rational thinking tells me that this movie had it all. Then again, perhaps I have just identified the problem, for I am reflecting on this film not with my heart, but with my head.