The greatest movie ever

Rating: Null/10 (21 August 2000)

I mean how in gods name does a cinematographer get the effect that Freddie Francis did? One of the tricks with any of these things is forgetting what you think is good and doing something that you think the audience will think is good.
From the beginning scene when Shaw says charge Bayonets, I knew this was going to be good. The other good thing about this film was that we just saw enough of the confederate army to know they existed.........and that was all we needed. For example, in Gettysburg, I didnt know who the hell I was barracking for at the end of it....oh yeah it was cr**p too (they tried to fit way too much in and I liken the actor roles in that film to the substitutes on a bench during a footy game who finally get a run).
Ok so what else was great about this film. The screenplay, the story, the actors, especially the hundreds of African American extras who played the soldiers of the 54th Massachusets. You really begin to bond with them right from the start when Shaw is inspecting them and, with their wide smiles, ask simple questions like 'How we look Colonel?' 'We gonna woop the sesesh?' 'When do we get the blue suit?'.
I dont care what people say, I think Broderick played his role perfectly. He's almost unrecognisable in his role and has an air of maturity around him that you dont see in any of his other films (which all sucked).
Cary Elwes gets the best scenes though....especially in Fort Wagner when he's waving his sword above his head an giving the most inspiring war cry you'll ever see. The good thing was is that his character was easily likeable and when we see him kicking a** during the battles, you cant help but cheer him, and the rest of them on.
Congratulations to Zwick for the way he ended the battle.....it was poignant in respects but completely in taste......especially since we all know what happens.
Coupled with the score, Washington's performance, and Freeman, Braugher (is it just me, or does he play a waif in almost every film he is in?) and Kennedy, this movie is not one to be missed.

10/10 Simply because my mind does not have the capacity to think how this film could have been better......
However.....When Shaw is admonishing the Quartermaster.....doesnt it look like he keeps peering down at the desk to read his lines?
In that case the film gets 9.9 recurring