by CHRIS BARRY

Director Ronald Maxwell has spared no expense in delivering his latest American Civil War effort to the big screen. With Gods and Generals, the prequel to his 1993 box office dud Gettysburg, Maxwell has literally rounded up a cast of thousands to create what may well be the definitive epic chronicling the early years of the struggle.

Let there be no doubt, this is an excellent piece of work, and rest assured there will be Oscars all around when the Hollywood establishment gathers for their annual self-congratulatory evening of shameless bullshit. But with a running time of three hours and 40 minutes, you might be wise to consider just how much you care about this period of American history before committing yourself to this cinematic experience. My guess is that Gods and Generals will suffer a similar fate as its predecessor at the box office.

The film charts the years of 1861–63 - culminating with the ever so nasty battle of Chancellorsville - as seen through the eyes of various combatants on both sides of the Potomac. And while you can be sure there will be some questions raised with respect to the film’s historical accuracy, by and large, and to the best of my admittedly cursory knowledge of the period, nothing about Gods and Generals struck me as being particularly revisionist.

There are some brilliant performances here. Stephen Lang as General “Stonewall” Jackson is nothing short of spectacular, and Robert Duvall’s portrayal of General Lee stands among the finest work of his career. And though much of the dialogue comes off as a little too self-conscious in its attempt to be profound, God knows those 19th-century cats sure liked to talk a lot of shit, so I suppose this can be forgiven.

Regardless of Gods and Generals occasional heavy-handedness, the battle scenes are as good as battle scenes get, and the cinematography winning. This is a great picture, to be sure, but it would have been that much greater if it were an hour or so shorter. :

Gods and Generals opens Friday, Feb. 21

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