★ 4 / 10
It is too afraid of reality to depict
Mark Rushow
It is too afraid of reality to depict truths. Rather it hides behind a facade of being artistically 'old filmy' in styling; as too paint the whole in the…
It is too afraid of reality to depict truths. Rather it hides behind a facade of being artistically 'old filmy' in styling; as too paint the whole in the romanticised vision (whitewash) held by those that love the idea of the Civil War. It was rather unbearable to say the least.
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★ 8 / 10
***Way better than "Gettysburg"*** Even though I love
Wuchak
***Way better than "Gettysburg"*** Even though I love the Civil War I waited a full six and a half years before catching the prequel "Gods and Generals"…
***Way better than "Gettysburg"***
Even though I love the Civil War I waited a full six and a half years before catching the prequel "Gods and Generals" (2003). Why? Because 1993's "Gettysburg" was so unimpressive. While "Gettysburg" has some worthwhile scenes it was merely okay on a whole, and sometimes downright tedious. How the filmmakers made the Civil War's biggest battle boring (generally speaking) is beyond me.
Gods and Generals" is the prequel detailing the battles of First Bull Run, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, which are largely viewed through the lens of Stonewall Jackson (Stephan Lang) on the Confederate side and the Chamberlain brothers (Jeff Daniels and C. Thomas Howell) of Maine on the Union side. Also on hand is, of course, Robert E. Lee, played by Robert Duvall, who does a more engaging portrayal than Martin Sheen in "Gettysburg." The film starts off slow and builds momentum. By contrast, "Gettysburg" started off slower and never became engaging with the exception of Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge.
Where "Gods and Generals" really pulled me in was the battle scenes of Fredericksburg and the aftermath. It showed how Civil War troops were required to march, shoot & reload in formation while rifles and friggin’ cannons are blasting their way. The Chamberlain brothers had to sleep on the battlefield that night. Imagine sleeping amongst all those dead bodies and dying, moaning soldiers! This was very well done.
There are quite a few other great scenes, like the Yankee and Reb soldiers meeting in the middle of the river to exchange coffee for tobacco; the execution of three deserters; and the "perfect battle" for the Confederates at Chancellorsville where General Lee, with a much smaller force, takes the risk of dividing his army and executing a surprise attack. Unfortunately for the Confederates they won at a huge cost as General Jackson loses his "right arm" to friendly fire.
The story ends on a slow, melancholy note.
I was impressed with the battle in the town scene. The town looked so authentic. Watching the documentary afterward I learned how they accomplished this: they filmed it at Harpers Ferry, WV.
Some have complained that the Southern viewpoint is shown in a more positive light than the Northern, but I disagree. While it seems more time is spent with Jackson & Lee's story, considerable time is certainly given to the North as well; the film does an excellent job of taking the middle road between the two positions.
The film was shot on location in Virginia, Maryland and Harpers Ferry, WV and runs 3 hours and 39 minutes. The Director's Cut (which I haven't seen) runs a full hour longer and features the bloody battle of Antietam and a subplot with John Wilkes Booth.
FINAL WORD: If you thought "Gettysburg" was boring don't let that prevent you from checking out "Gods and Generals." Yes, you have to be ready for a long movie and it does have some slow, dramatic parts but it builds momentum and it's one of best Civil War films in helping the viewer visualize the battles and many other aspects.
WARNING: Believe it or not, the film shows overt depictions of Bible reading, citation and prayer!! It also dares to show Christianity and marriage (between a man and woman) in a positive light!! Oh my God!!!
GRADE: B+/A-
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★ 7 / 10
Aptly named
tomsview
This prequel to "Gettysburg" has some breathtaking recreations of Civil War battles. But the whole thing is so reverent and solemn that it takes time to fully…
This prequel to "Gettysburg" has some breathtaking recreations of Civil War battles. But the whole thing is so reverent and solemn that it takes time to fully engage with it.The reverence shown to Generals Jackson and Lee is usually reserved for biblical figures. It made me wonder if "Gods and Generals" captures the way people of that time really spoke?Maybe formal address was more common in the 1860's, but just about everything anyone says in the first hour and a half is a speech. Before the brilliantly staged Battle of Fredericksburg, Jeff Daniels even recites an ancient poem, "The Crossing of the Rubicon".I'm sure the dialogue has been shaped from historic records and especially letters, but people don't necessarily speak the way they write; some of the exchanges between husbands and wives, and mothers and sons in this film are bizarre. The frequent appearances of John Wilkes Booth ever ready with a Shakespearean soliloquy add to the theatricality.Some may object to a comparison with "Gone with the Wind'. However it has far more natural speech patterns than "Gods and Generals" and in 1939, when it was released, there were still some thousands of veterans of the war still alive, albeit elderly.Heightening the dolefulness of "Gods and Generals" is the score. Other than source music from bands and soldiers singing, pathos informs nearly every theme whether for an intimate interior or a horizon-wide battle. To be fair, the theme for the surprise attack at Chancellorsville, "VMI Will Be Heard From Today", shows how the rest of the score could have been coloured differently.Possibly the filmmakers didn't want to glorify war by building the score around the stirring anthems and songs of the Civil War, but it's a classic example of how music can shape the mood of a film.For a while it seemed that slavery was receiving a pass, but towards the end, Jeff Daniel's Joshua Chamberlain puts it into context."Gods and Generals" does too much. Surely John Wilkes could have been saved for another movie. However the look of the film is amazing. We are transported to those battlefields; each one different, although we are spared what a blast of grapeshot would actually do to a human body.In the end, those authentic looking re-creations of suicidal advances and troops firing point blank volleys into each other can only leave the impression that it was an era that produced remarkably brave soldiers.
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8%
TOMATOMETER
· 118 reviews
64%
AUDIENCE
· 5K ratings
6.2/10
18.3K
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is this OG or extended