I am not one for romance films, but this time I made an exception. It was the simple fact that this film is set during Civil War that motivated me to see it. This film is a realistic showcase of what happened in battle in those times. The first scene is graphic in its manner and could be disturbing to some viewers.
The film’s story is classic (a man tries to find his way home to his sweetheart) but it is engaged and told in an artistic and relatively entertaining manner. However, Minghella (who won Best Director for the 1996 film “The English Patient”) doesn’t really use his talents to the best of his ability. “Cold Mountain” is adapted from the book by the same name, and is an epic story. Minghella is a great storyteller, but there was something about the film that lacked a certain quality.
As for the film’s content, there are two unnecessary scenes containing explicit nudity. These scenes did nothing but take away from the flow of the movie, and prevent many younger viewers from seeing a great historical film.
“Cold Mountain” gives a message of hope in a hopeless tome. It is an emotional picture that was made with grace and careful attention to detail. As a critic I highly recommend that you see this wonderful film. “Cold Mountain” receives *** ½ .