So, I haven't seen a good civil war film since Glory, and I thought the premise of this film was quite interesting, and that I could endure some Matthew McConaughey in order to witness some history and battles that didn't seem to be plagued with gratuitous "Hollywooding," per my analysis of the previews and TV spots.

Although the film started with a truly shocking exposition about the brutality of being in the infantry in the civil war, the movie couldn't hold your attention any better than the Confederate army could hold McConaughey's character. I'll admit that I saw this film in a "2nd-run" theater on a hot day, so the mediocre sound system was being outdone by the massive air conditioner that was working extra hard to keep the movie theater status quo (cold enough to store Yogurt in). This made it difficult to hear some of the dialogue, but I could have made an effort to pay attention if I had any attachment to the characters on screen...which I didn't, save for the family of the protagonist. New characters were introduced ad nauseum, with little mention about who they were or why they were significant to the story being told. Although the film ran on for only a little more than 2 hours, it felt longer than the Return of the King.

It wasn't horrible, and it did a pretty good job showing the injustices that occurred to both blacks and the low/middle class during and after the Civil War, but if you choose to go, expect it to be slightly less engaging than a narrated documentary film that a middle school history classed is forced to watch, and expect a dose of McConaughey that even the CEO of Lincoln Motor Co. would say was excessive. 4/10.

 

No interest in the movie, but I give a to your thread headline.