Denzel Washington's defining role.

Rating: 9/10 (3 July 2013)

I give the film almost a perfect score for its story-telling, cinematography, and entertainment value, 24 years since its premier. It's not at all dated - some period films show their age just by the hair styles worn of the times, or the music score (like WITNESS [1985] which has some unfortunate electronic music moments), but GLORY holds up quite well, and has become one of those Civil War "must-see" dramas.
But I want to focus some on the performance of Denzel Washington. "Trip," his character, was built to fight everyone, because he refused to become a victim in any form or fashion. He enlisted as a hard-shelled bully and took his anger out on anyone who disagreed with him. Even his attire symbolized his defiance, with his cap cocked off-center, and wearing a color separate from most others in some scenes.
Two moments in this film anchored Mr. Washington's status as a solid method actor. Most film-goers shed tears when watching as he was disciplined over something he needed, by watching Trip's reaction to his punishment. The camera unflinchingly crawled in, which was as powerful a moment as I can remember any actor's portrayal, and it still arguably one of the best scenes that an actor has evoked. I honestly think that this one scene sealed his Academy Award of best supporting actor.
The other moment was when Trip was compelled to say some words the night before a battle. Never one to speak from his heart as it made him too vulnerable, he said little and yet his final thoughts spoke volumes: "We men, ain't we?" I think most people invested their hopes on Trip, and Mr. Washington delivered better than any actor could, transforming him from an enlisted thug to a soldier I would march with. I'm sure he drew on things he experienced in school, because I remember people like Trip. They focus on one person that they would bully on a daily basis, and "Searles" (Andre Braugher) was his victim. Those two were paired perfectly. I only thought that some moments were a little over-acted, which deserved a deduction.
The film had many night scenes, and the VHS and DVD transfers I've seen always looked muddy with poor blacks and color rendition, which has done an injustice to the outstanding cinematography. GLORY has been released as a 4K master disc, and it's incredible. The price point is nice as well, especially if you find one used.