Amazon.co.uk Review
Cold Mountain, freely adapted from Charles Frazier's beloved bestseller, boasts an impeccable pedigree as a respectable Civil War love story, offering everything you'd want from a romantic epic--except a resonant emotional core. Everything in this sweeping, Odyssean journey depends on believing in the instant love that ignites during a very brief encounter between genteel, city-bred preacher's daughter Ada (Nicole Kidman) and Confederate soldier Inman (Jude Law), who deserts the battlefield to return, weary and wounded, to Ada's inherited farm in the rural town of Cold Mountain, North Carolina. In an epic (but dramatically tenuous) case of absence making hearts grow fonder, Inman endures a treacherous hike fraught with danger (and populated by supporting players including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, and others) while the struggling, inexperienced Ada is aided by the high-spirited Ruby (Renée Zellweger), forming a powerful farming partnership that transforms Ada into a strong, lovelorn survivor.
The film's episodic structure slightly weakens its emotional impact, and it's fairly obvious that director Anthony Minghella is striving to repeat the prestigious romanticism of his Oscar-winning hit The English Patient. For the most part it works, especially in the dynamic performances of Zellweger and Kidman, and the explosive 1864 battle of Petersburg, Virginia, is recreated with violent, percussive intensity. Those who admired Frazier's novel may regret some of the changes made in Minghella's adaptation (the ending is particularly altered), but Cold Mountain remains a high-class example of grand, old-fashioned filmmaking, boosted by star power of the highest order. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful movie.......2008-02-19
I loved this movie, and the extras on the DVD were also good value. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and the movie is a good adaptation of it. It doesn't replicate all aspects of the story, but that can't be expected as it is a different medium. It conveys the plot, themes and spirit of the book very well. Well cast with good acting. Lots of beautiful shots, with some scenes reminiscent of old oil paintings.
Minghella's movie is a mis-step.......2008-02-03
Cold Mountain is a prime example of what I like to call a "Decepticon" -- beautiful on the outside, but empty inside.
IT IS a great film mainly for the really GOOD acting..........2007-10-17
It is not my favorite ACW film, it is not my favorite ACW book, those are NOT my favorite heroes... BUT, damn it! IT IS REALLY WELL DONE... and a kind of ROAD MOVIE... and hauntingly beautiful... so as movies go... A MUST SEE movie, as usual I read the book before seeing the picture (to know what it was all about)... and the book is not bad... but what is REALLY good is the acting (mainly the females) on the movie... so there you have it one of those rare exceptions of the much used rule: "THE BOOK IS BETTER THAN THE FILM!..." in my humble opinion the film extracts the best from an average book and is fairly superior...
If you ask me, I will rather see again THE HORSE SOLDIERS any time... but COLD MOUNTAIN is worth watching at least a couple of times... for what it is... A GOOD FILM.
ADB
PS: If really an ACW buff have a go to the film PHARAOH'S ARMY... a low budget film... but surprisingly powerful!
Book vs Film.......2007-06-05
i've just finished studying the book for english AS, and we were shown the film in class
if you have any intentions of reading the book, do not watch the film, it will confuse you
a lot of facts are changed, the wrong characters do things, and are in the wrong towns etc
i personally didnt like the film, like the book it was slow paced and rather dull
Renée Zellweger played Ruby well, although i still find it hard to see her as anything other than Bridget Jones
Nicole Kidman & Jude Law worked well togther as well
it has all the features of a good film, it just wasnt very enthrawling
enjoyable drama.......2007-05-31
I liked this film. Not wanting to give too many details away, but shows the cruelty and inhuman destruction of war very convincingly... while painting a believable love story while posing the question, how long does it take for a couple to fall in love, a love that is strong enough to survive many tests and years?
Renee Z. earned her oscar for her portrayal in this role--no doubt about it. Also Ray Winston played a wonderfully horrible bad guy! You know when you're shouting at the TV screen that the movie is compelling and is successfully sucking you into the world of the director.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Cold Mountain, freely adapted from Charles Frazier's beloved bestseller, boasts an impeccable pedigree as a respectable Civil War love story, offering everything you'd want from a romantic epic--except a resonant emotional core. Everything in this sweeping, Odyssean journey depends on believing in the instant love that ignites during a very brief encounter between genteel, city-bred preacher's daughter Ada (Nicole Kidman) and Confederate soldier Inman (Jude Law), who deserts the battlefield to return, weary and wounded, to Ada's inherited farm in the rural town of Cold Mountain, North Carolina. In an epic (but dramatically tenuous) case of absence making hearts grow fonder, Inman endures a treacherous hike fraught with danger (and populated by supporting players including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, and others) while the struggling, inexperienced Ada is aided by the high-spirited Ruby (Renée Zellweger), forming a powerful farming partnership that transforms Ada into a strong, lovelorn survivor.
The film's episodic structure slightly weakens its emotional impact, and it's fairly obvious that director Anthony Minghella is striving to repeat the prestigious romanticism of his Oscar-winning hit The English Patient. For the most part it works, especially in the dynamic performances of Zellweger and Kidman, and the explosive 1864 battle of Petersburg, Virginia, is recreated with violent, percussive intensity. Those who admired Frazier's novel may regret some of the changes made in Minghella's adaptation (the ending is particularly altered), but Cold Mountain remains a high-class example of grand, old-fashioned filmmaking, boosted by star power of the highest order. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful movie.......2008-02-19
I loved this movie, and the extras on the DVD were also good value. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and the movie is a good adaptation of it. It doesn't replicate all aspects of the story, but that can't be expected as it is a different medium. It conveys the plot, themes and spirit of the book very well. Well cast with good acting. Lots of beautiful shots, with some scenes reminiscent of old oil paintings.
Minghella's movie is a mis-step.......2008-02-03
Cold Mountain is a prime example of what I like to call a "Decepticon" -- beautiful on the outside, but empty inside.
IT IS a great film mainly for the really GOOD acting..........2007-10-17
It is not my favorite ACW film, it is not my favorite ACW book, those are NOT my favorite heroes... BUT, damn it! IT IS REALLY WELL DONE... and a kind of ROAD MOVIE... and hauntingly beautiful... so as movies go... A MUST SEE movie, as usual I read the book before seeing the picture (to know what it was all about)... and the book is not bad... but what is REALLY good is the acting (mainly the females) on the movie... so there you have it one of those rare exceptions of the much used rule: "THE BOOK IS BETTER THAN THE FILM!..." in my humble opinion the film extracts the best from an average book and is fairly superior...
If you ask me, I will rather see again THE HORSE SOLDIERS any time... but COLD MOUNTAIN is worth watching at least a couple of times... for what it is... A GOOD FILM.
ADB
PS: If really an ACW buff have a go to the film PHARAOH'S ARMY... a low budget film... but surprisingly powerful!
Book vs Film.......2007-06-05
i've just finished studying the book for english AS, and we were shown the film in class
if you have any intentions of reading the book, do not watch the film, it will confuse you
a lot of facts are changed, the wrong characters do things, and are in the wrong towns etc
i personally didnt like the film, like the book it was slow paced and rather dull
Renée Zellweger played Ruby well, although i still find it hard to see her as anything other than Bridget Jones
Nicole Kidman & Jude Law worked well togther as well
it has all the features of a good film, it just wasnt very enthrawling
enjoyable drama.......2007-05-31
I liked this film. Not wanting to give too many details away, but shows the cruelty and inhuman destruction of war very convincingly... while painting a believable love story while posing the question, how long does it take for a couple to fall in love, a love that is strong enough to survive many tests and years?
Renee Z. earned her oscar for her portrayal in this role--no doubt about it. Also Ray Winston played a wonderfully horrible bad guy! You know when you're shouting at the TV screen that the movie is compelling and is successfully sucking you into the world of the director.
UK DVD:
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York Notes on "Cold Mountain" (York Notes Advanced)
Cold Mountain
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