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Cold Mountain Customer Reviews (43 - 45 of 87 Reviews)

Heartbreaking Civil War love story
Inman's odyssey, his epic journey to return to his love waiting for him on Cold Mountain, forms the backbone of this story. Inman, played by Jude Law with admirable silence and restraint, is on a trek of the highest magnitude, walking across mountain after mountain, hiding from and sometimes fighting off the murderous Home Guard, and hiding from and sometimes fighting off equally miserable Union soldiers.
Ada (Nicole Kidman), Inman's love, is the daughter of a Charleston preacher who moved to Cold Mt "for his health and on his doctor's advice," right before the war began. He dies, leaving Adam raised to be a lady with no practical skills whatsoever, to fend for herself as the South loses and loses and loses. The farm is on the brink of being reclaimed by the surrounding woods when onto the property walks Ruby, Renée Zellweger. She lacks all the social graces that Ada possesses, but she's got what, today, we'd call "street cred": the girl knows how to slaughter a chicken, build a fence, till a field, whatever.
The movie flips back and forth between Inman's Odyssean journey (during which he meets every kind of person, place, animal, and thing) toward home and Ada and Ruby's attempts to try to insure that there's such a thing as home for him to return to.
It's the stuff of a good old-fashioned romantic epic.

A Civil War Odyssey
Anthony Minghella's tragedy of the weary soldier who only longs to be with his promised love. The theme is a variation on Homer's Odyssey where, after years of surviving the depravities of war, the hero-soldier undertakes a perilous journey home; reuniting with his loved one only after many trials and tribulations. Although the theme isn't new, the script properly grasps the attitudes and mannerisms of the time. The cinematography and editing is top knotch.

Nicole Kidman plays Ada, a preacher's daughter who, in 1860, moves with her father to the rustic bliss of Cold Mountain, North Carolina. Ada falls in love with Inman (Jude Law) but, before their love can be consummated, Inman answers to the call of duty and joins the Confederate Army. Before he leaves, Ada promises to wait for his return and to marry him. By 1864, Inman is a broken man: shocked by the brutal realities of war and seeing no purpose to the carnage. He sees the Confederacy as doomed and, longing for Ada, resigns himself to deserting the army. He begins his long perilous journey from the frontlines to his home. In the meantime, things go from bad to worse in Cold Mountain and Ada is forced to hold the house on her own. Exploiting her fears that Inman may be dead, prospective suitors unwelcomingly court Ada. In the meantime, Ada welcomes a runaway girl named Ruby (Renée Zellweger)to help her with the farm's chores. The climax of the film rises as Inman comes closer to home. Sadly for both Ada and Inman, their reunion is bittersweet.

Again, the story is a thematic variation from the Odyssey. The warrior-hero leaves to face the horrors of war and returns only after a long life-changing journey. The acting is great although I think Nicole Kidman was too well groomed for her role. Even if immaculate and beautiful, women of the 1860s didn't look as if they just came out of a Hollywood beauty salon: especially those who lived and worked in a rural setting. A great romantic tragedy that appeals to both men and women. I strongly recommend it.

Cold Mountain-Lacks Sizzle
Cold Mountain, the new epic from screenwriter/director Anthony Minghella is not terribly amazing. Though it is a fine film and a handsome adaption of the Charles Frazier novel, it feels like it is lacking something.
Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweiger star and deliver fine performances. Jude Law delivers a very nice performance, I was very pleased by it. Also Zellweiger gives one of her best performances too as the farmer who is helping Nicole's character survive during the war.
The premise of the film is nothing spectacular, mainly a simple love story like Titanic. The film takes place during the Civil War. Jude Law plays Inman, a Confederate soldier who must go and fight in the war, Nicole Kidman plays Ada, a woman who he soon meets and falls in love with. While barely knowing each other they develop a deep, intimate relationship. Soon, during the war, Law becomes seriously injured and wants to find his way back to Ada.
This being an $80 million epic delivers some fine battle sequences, not too many or as grand as I had originally anticipated. The beginning starts off fine with a spectacular explosion and a fairly big battle sequence.
Cold Mountain is rated R for Violence and Sexuality. The violence is reasonably bloody, not exceptionally graphic surprisingly for an epic war film. There are battles with guns, bayonets, explosions which also depict some graphic
injuries. The sexuality is steamy not really explicit. There is one fairly erotic situation near the end of the film. There is also some semi-nudity.
Cold Mountain has already been nominated for 8 Golden Globe Awards, (the most nominated picture this year.) Nominations include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor as well as Best Actress. A fine picture, but I don't think it lives up the hype which it has been receiving. Also I should point out the film is a little slow at points which can be tedious and nearly make you fall asleep. Even though the storylines are totally different, I preferred The Last Samurai, which was a lot more exciting and featured better battle sequences. Possibly worth seeing in theatres, but would make a fine rental.

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