Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain Review

Dig out those hankies and prepare yourselves for a stirring epic because the director of "The English Patient" is at it again with a grand but not entirely successful tale of love and war set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. Based on the bestseller by Charles Frazier, Anthony Minghella's new movie revolves around two halves of an awkward couple: Jude Law's quiet farm-worker Inman and Nicole Kidman's genteel reverend's daughter Ada, who finally pluck up the courage to declare their love on the day Inman must leave to fight against the Yankees. Four years later and Inman is seriously injured at the infamous Battle of Petersburg while Ada has only been saved from crushing poverty by the guidance of farm girl Ruby (Renee Zellweger). And as the South starts to collapse and Ada prays for the return of her love, Inman starts a perilous journey home to the only place where he can feel safe: Cold Mountain.

And boy, does this film look good. But just like Minghella's "The English Patient," the astoundingly lush photography doesn't hide a slow paced affair stuffed to the rafters with portentous dialogue. Add to that a non-existent chemistry between the two leads and not even the long list of impressive cameos - including Philip Seymour Hoffman as an over-sexed reverend - can save the audience from slumber until Zellweger turns up for an over-egged but much-needed comical performance as the rustic Ruby. Downbeat and sombre, this is filmmaking of the grand but ultimately unmoving kind.