The Human Experience

Rating: 10/10 (14 March 2003)

While "Glory" was an entertainment event that seems as though it was intended to tell the story of a Black American experience at a time when the Union was still in a developmental stage, I felt that the premise was to give an example of the content of character of a group of individuals, in addition to the film's relationship to American history. After having said that, the aesthetic value I placed on the movie was that in light of the adversity that the men in this situation had to endure, they still managed to exhibit a monumental amount of integrity, and this movie does its part to show that this human quality does have its place in history. Yes, the movie may have its subtile historical inaccuracies (and as far as history is concerned, who's to say to what degree is one account more accurate, relevant, or truthful than another) but anyone who looks at this movie will have to agree that "Glory" was one of the best MOVIES made, let alone qualifying it as a "war movie." The movie seemed to draw its audience in so deeply that you felt empathy, without even having gone through the experience first-hand. While watching this movie, I realized a smorgasboard of emotions; I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I cheered. There was not a weak link in the cast, and I personally saw a side of Matthew Broderick's acting ability that I was refreshingly pleased to see...and as far as Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Cary Elwes are concerned, their credentials speak for themselves. Even if you don't find war flicks particularly palatable (and actually, I'm one of those who don't) trust me, this picture ain't about war, it's about the human experience.