Gods & Generals (HD DVD)

Warner | 219 minutes | 2002 | PG-13 | Directed by: Ronald E. Maxwell |
HD DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

As this movie is based on real life, well known events, you'd think a synopsis would be simple, but that's not the case. Gods and Generals is a prequel of sorts to Gettysburg, which features some of the same actors and even some of the same talent behind the cameras, including the director of both films, Ronald F. Maxwell (Joan of Arc: The Virgin Warrior). Gods and Generals has a story movement of course, as characters evolve and events unfold, but it moves on a large scale and as such, there is no typical plot to speak of. We all know what happens, but the presentation is what matters in historical motion pictures and Gods and Generals makes sure to give us a grand, cinematic look at those events. The war itself is the main focus, so battles are frequent and well staged, though the blood and brutality are toned down somewhat, so don't expect the level of realism as seen in movies like Saving Private Ryan or the like. But we also look inside the men at war, to see what drives them to engage in the war and also what fuels their personal lives. These men might be soldiers and officers, but they are also men and have wives, children, and normal lives they wish to return to, though most never came home. So expect a broad, but personal look at the Civil War, which proves to be an interesting approach.

This movie cost a good amount of cash, which is understandable, given the immense scope and intense attention to realism. In fact, Ted Turner himself shelled out the entire budget himself, so Gods and Generals was a landmark production. But when it hit theaters, audiences turned cold and the movie failed to bring in even the expected profits. So Gods and Generals proved to be an expensive mistake in terms of bottom line, but does it succeed as a historical motion picture? Of course, when a movie tanks like Gods and Generals did, people often assume it was bad, which isn't often far from the truth. But tons of bad movies rake in truckloads of cash, while good movies, even great ones fail to break even. In the case of Gods and Generals, the audience is so specific, it had a hard time pulling in outside viewers. If you're a Civil War buff, then Gods and Generals is a virtual masterpiece, packed with the kind of realism and attention to detail that all great epics possess. But while I like to watch historical pictures, I found this one to be rather bland at times, not even as good as Gettysburg, which shared much of the same talent. The visuals are superb, from the costumes to the battles, but the performances and writing simply can't keep up. But without question, Gods and Generals is well worth a rental for those interested. This HD-DVD boasts all the extras from the standard release and while the transfer isn't leaps and bounds better than the standard edition, this is an improved presentation.

I am so confident in the skills of Robert Duvall, that even if a movie seems terrible, his presence is enough to warrant a look. And since he has a prominent role in Gods and Generals, I knew I could at least count on his performance to be excellent. As it turns out, even Duvall has trouble with the material in this one and his effort comes up short. I was sure that even with the worst lines, Duvall could make it all work, but he must have pushed to his limits in Gods and Generals. The problem lies with how the movie's dialogue is presented, as no realistic lines are to be found, just long winded speeches and endless metaphors. So there isn't a natural texture to the conversations, not to mention that most of the talking scenes are stretched so thin, you'll find yourself wishing for the next sequence to arrive. So even an actor of immense skill like Duvall is left hung out to dry, since he is unable to bring it across in natural fashion. I'm sure he does better than most could, but even so, this isn't one of his highlights. Other films with Duvall include The Apostle, Days of Thunder, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Network, and The Great Santini. The cast also includes Jeff Daniels (Blood Work, Dumb and Dumber), Stephen Lang (Eye See You, Fire Down Below), and Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers, Summer of Sam).

Gods and Generals is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The DVD looked fantastic on this movie and while this new transfer looks even better, by high definition standards, it is not that impressive. This is a fairly recent movie, but detail isn't that crisp and most scenes even have a soft texture. Some scenes do show off some impressive clarity, but its a mixed bag and this transfer isn't up there with the better high definition efforts. On the bright side, colors and contrast seem on the mark and as I said, this still looks better than the DVD, I just expected a little more.

A Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 option is on deck and while the audio is good, I couldn't tell a difference between this HD-DVD and its DVD brethren. The soundtrack is great by DVD standards, but when compared to the PCM, DTS HD, and Dolby TrueHD tracks out there, it loses some of its shine. I don't want to sound disappointed, but I did expect a jump in audio quality and instead, we have the same basic presentation as the DVD version. The movie sounds good, but you have to think a higher end soundtrack could have done so much more here. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

All of the extras from the standard release have returned, so fans can breathe a sigh of relief. This is one long movie, but director Ronald F. Maxwell provides a full commentary session, with additional insights from two of the film's historical advisors. As can be expected from such an extensive session, stretches of silence and repeated comments are common, but for the most part, this is a well crafted track. Maxwell talks a lot about the production itself, while his advisors provide comments about the historical realism and assorted other anecdotes. You might have to sit through this one in shifts, but if you liked the movie, then you'll want to at least sample this more than solid session. A trio of featurettes is also included, one on slaves during the film's setting, another on Stonewall Jackson, and the third is a basic behind the scenes piece. This disc also includes two music videos, as well as the film's theatrical trailer.