50/50 good/bad

Rating: 5/10 (2 August 2002)

Normally I give my vote at the end of the explanation, but this time I want to say that I gave it 5/10.
I only gave it 5 because I thought the cinematography, music, acting, and direction were quite wonderful. It was a symphony of talent portrayed wonderfully. I WOULD have; COULD have; and SHOULD have LOVED this movie, but didn't. I rarely knock a movie because of its storyline. Often for the plot, but not for the story or idea itself. So, this is a first.
Okay, true the movie delivers the tale or 'epic saga' of a family of brothers and their father but I need more than that. I think this story was ill-conceived. Each of the characters were consistent except for the lead (I've provided a SPOILER section at the end to illustrate this point so don't read it if you don't want it ruined). I am of the opinion that all characters can have some inconsistencies; but the lead role must be solid if he/she is to carry the reader or viewer through to the end.
***SPOILER***SPOILER***SPOILER***
Okay, he's wild and untamable. You can't rely on him because he's the spirit of the bear. But, oh, then he's not. He's the perfect family man. Oh, except he's a bootlegger, endangering his very family that he loves. He's passionate. But wait, no he isn't. He's cold and mysterious and even cruel. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!! Just tell him how you want him to act and he'll do it. It wasn't his fault, I think he played each of the personalities well; so the movie should have been about a man with multiple personality complex; but it wasn't intended to be that. Personally I think that Susannah was the most stable character in the story. If you watch it more than once, you'll see that she really only loved one man her entire life; she didn't waver from that even if her actions did. She only did what was humanly possible with the cards she was dealt in life (therein lies the real story if you ask me).
SPOILER ENDED
So, everything but the story was great in this film. It just didn't have a goal. Not to mention it followed the wrong character, I think.
thank you