Directed by: Ronald Maxwell
Grade: C
There are so many faults in Gods and Generals, and yet so many other things worth of praise, that it becomes a fairly difficult film to review. I’ll take it easy by starting on the film’s background. It’s based off of the novel of the same name by Jeff Shaara, itself a sequel to the Killer Angels, a work written by Jeff Shaara’s father Michael Shaara. The Killer Angels was made as a TV miniseries with the much broader title Gettysburg, but the producers were so impressed by the film that they chose to release it theatrically. Gettysburg was a bomb at the box-office not because it was so bad but because it was so long. Currently, it’s the longest theatrically released movie yet. Fortunately, Gettysburg made its money back with earning made during its airing on TV.
Critics held Gettysburg in high regard, but not as high regard as I would have hoped. In my whole honest opinion, Gettysburg is one of the most impressive motion pictures I have seen, as well as one of the most faultlessly performed. The film was so moving, inspiring and sweeping. In all regards, Gods and Generals is not so moving, inspiring or sweeping. Rather, Gods and Generals is extensive, broad and bulky.
At 216 minutes in total running length, Gods and Generals is a little shorter then Gettysburg, even though it manages to depict a lot more. For both films, those four hours did not fly by, but I was still far more interested in Gettysburg. That’s probably due to that Gettysburg was far more focused, and so as a result, it was easier to relate to and comprehend. I maintained a tight grip on Gettysburg, and even though it was harder to keep a handle on Gods and Generals, I followed through most of it.
Gettysburg, in all good wishes, devoted equal amounts of screen time to the Union side of the story, and the Confederates. The film presented both sides of the battle in equivalent doses, and it was interesting at how we could see their opposing battle plans and formidable deployment of forces arrayed against each other. I’d say about 70%, possibly a little less, of Gods and Generals is devoted to the Confederate side of things, principally seen through the eyes of Stonewall Jackson. I’m not saying Gods and Generals is totally pro-Confederate, but it is certainly sympathetic towards them. Much more so then the Union side of things.
Gods and Generals presents three major battles: 1st Bull Run in 1861, Fredericksburg in 1862 and Chancellorsville in 1863, all of which were decisive Confederate victories. The narrative completely over skips the Union victory at the 1862 Battle of Antietam. Director Maxwell shot the entire sequence of Antietam, but ultimately chose to leave out when working on the film in the editing film, mainly due to time restrictions. Personally, I consider the elimination of the Battle of Antietam to be one of the film’s main underlying faults. Fortunately, a Director’s Cut has been released that includes Antietam, as well as several other scenes, but I have yet to get around to that yet. Perhaps my regard for the value of Gods and Generals will viably increase once I get around to viewing the Director’s Cut.
The things where Gettysburg and Gods and Generals play out as equals are the vibrant battle scenes. The three major battles presented in both films feel incredibly real. In one such battle, Fredericksburg, there are thousands of Union soldiers, all moving forward across a field against blast of artillery fire, only to find themselves in opposition to a brick wall, manned by thousands of Confederates giving it all they’ve got. Over the field, hundreds, possibly thousands, of these Union soldiers lie dead and dying. The result is a complete massacre, and we ask ourselves, why were these men sent into battle this way? It’s interesting when we also see a few of the surviving Union soldiers creeping out onto the field at night to find any wounded they can find, trying to keep under the surveillance of those Confederate eyes looking vaguely into the darkness…
In its completion, Gods and Generals is not entirely dull, though in no ways much satisfying. I will have to admit: I really wasn’t expecting much after reading a few of the degrading reviews it received upon release, but fortunately, the film held out on its own firmly as a historical picture. Gods and Generals main flaws come in that there is not enough insight for all that hurrah about the examination of the first years of the American Civil War. Having watched the film twice now, I do not feel entirely confident in my ability to thoroughly explain what happened over the years of 1861-1863. After watching Gettysburg twice as well, I felt that I was with the men who fought there, and that I could write a darn long report on the battle, and all those who participated on, and what the conditions were like.
Like Gettysburg though, the actors feel at ease in their individual roles, and we can feel that director Maxwell is directing this film based on his own fervent interest of the American Civil War. It’s obvious that a considerable amount of effort was put into Gods and Generals: the people, soldiers, costumes, weapons and feel for the film all feel reliable, in similar fashion to Gettysburg. In comparing Gettysburg and Gods and Generals, it’s easy to realize that the two films are immensely similar in their production value, but the way their narratives are told are vastly different. Gettysburg was far more tightly packed and coherent, and yet elongated in such a way as to that it was actually necessary. Gods and Generals will go anywhere it wants periodically at will, so be notified of that before finding a comfortable seat to sit through this four hour epic.
By way and large, Gettysburg is the far superior picture. In fact, like I said, it’s one of the most impeccable historical films I have ever viewed over the course of my movie watching career, and that alone makes it accountable for its entry in the ‘Significant Films’ list. If you did enjoy Gettysburg, there are no guarantees as to what you will feel about Gods and Generals. Believe me, Gods and Generals has plenty of imposingly scaled moments to go around. That’s still not enough to compensate for its inability to thoroughly traverse the viewer into all the actions and drama taking place before our very eyes. C
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