Gods & Generals

I had my ususal above excellent experience with Amazon. I ordered on a Friday and received on Tuesday. Is this fantastic service or what? But then, I am Amazon's biggest fan!

This is the worst movie I have ever seen in my life. It takes itself very seriously, and is just dull from start to finish. There is a 5-10 minute sequence at one point where you just watch people marching. No dialogue, nothing, just marching.

Other movies are bad, and you can laugh at them. Watching this one is like being in prison.

First, let me say that I've read every novel ever written by Jeff Shaara and have loved every one. Having said that, I think this is one of the worst Civil War movies I've ever seen. It was dull, over-acted, and the screenplay was horrible -- filled with flowery speaches, no real character development, no real-life conversations. I can understand why all these "South will rise again" folks like it -- it's pro-confederacy, hardly mentions the word "slavery", and makes it look like all the southern slaves just loved their "masters". That's OK though, as all films are made with some bias. It's mostly just a rotten script.

It may be that some reviewers who complain about the length are just too 'antzy' to sit through this 'prequal' movie. I found it a fascinating portrait of General 'Stonewall' Jackson during the early years of the civil war, and to some lesser extent his relationship with General Lee. This movie was not intended to be a 'fair and balanced' depiction of the years 1861-1863 for both North and South; it is about stunning victories of the South due in no small part to the generalship of General Thomas Jackson. Although there is some view from the Northern perspective in the battles depicted, it is really a movie about Jackson and how pivital he was to the early Confederate victories.

Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine Regiment is given some lengthy treatment at the Battle of Fedricksburg in great part due to the pivotal role the 20th Maine would play later in the eventual defeat of Lee at Gettysburg and is featured in this movie's sequal "Gettysburg". It was a good attempt at continuity between the two movies.

The 'commentary' on both "G and G" discs is also excellent and very informative with a good discussion of the events surrounding Stonewall Jackson's accidental shooting by his own men during the Battle of Chancellorsville. It is interesting to speculate about the outcome of the war had Jackson survived. Lee was a stratigic genius and Jackson was his tactical genius. When informed of Jacksons injuries, Lee reportedly said "General Jackson has lost his left arm, I have lost my right arm." There was no one to step up and fill the tactial void left by Jackson's death.

I think Jeff Shannon wrote the best review here. What more can I say other than this movie was a disappointment in light of the far superior Gettysburg. Gettysburg only covered one portion of one battle while Gods and Generals attempts to tackle the entire first third of the war. I think they should have recast the entire movie. I love Jeff Daniels as Chamberlain, but he was too weary for this "prequel". Tom Berenger, Richard Jordan and Sam Elliot of missed...so why retain the lesser cast. The actors portraying the youthful Major Taylor and Col. Alexander are in their forties now, it seems that Fredericksburg had a "fountain of youth" effect on many of these officers, as they were young, fit and healthy by the time Gettysburg rolled around!!!