Beautiful movie

Rating: 10/10 (16 December 2016)

My favorite Civil War movie, seconded by Gettysburg. The story telling is wonderful, it has a top notch cast, Broderick's boyish plays perfectly into Shaw's character, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington are at their usual best. Even in the heat of battle, you can tell one character apart for each other. Now for the depiction. It has the best combat of any Civil War movie, showing the chaos and blood. The storming of Fort (or Battery, depending on where you live) Wagner is brilliantly executed. The score is amazing when it kicks in throughout the movie p, especially when Shaw has been shot down and Trip rallies the troops, then they storm the fort. Hats of to the Harlem Boys Chior for the marvelous score. That scene remains my favorite scene from any war movie ever, including the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. Historically, there are some flaws. The first action the 54th sees at James Island in the movie was a calvary charge, followed by a short line battle, and then a free for all. In reality, the 54th arrived relatively late, and mostly fought in a skirmish line. The movie has the advance on Wagner coming from the left, but it actually came from the right (I realize that's very nit-picky). And after Shaw got killed, the 54th lost steam and their attack founderd. The fort was actually breached by the 13th Connecticut, with a few members of the 54th finding a way to join them. But really, that's it. A superb movie, worth your time.