Gods & Generals (HD-DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B+     Extras: C     Film: D

 

 

Some sequels should never be made, but before the problematic AOL-Time Warner merger drove Ted Turner out of the company against his will, he produced Gettysburg sequel Gods & Generals (2002) to poor reviews and awful box office.  One of the biggest personally funded epic film wrecks since Caligula (reviewed elsewhere on this site) and not as profitable nor as remembered.

 

The long and drawn out affair was again written and directed by Ronald F. Maxwell, and though there are some historically accurate pieces throughout, this drags on and on and on and on forever, never knows when to end, plus Turner makes an amusing cameo, the film still thinks the South should have won the war and its trivialization of slavery is obnoxious beyond belief.

 

Sure, the urge to capitalize on interest in The Civil War that began in part with Gettysburg makes total sense, but this is so over the top, it is often an unintentional comedy owing more to that other Warner classic (Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles, reviewed on this site) than anything one can take seriously.  Jeff Daniels, Stephen Lang, Kevin Conway, Mira Sorvino, C. Thomas Howell and Robert Duvall give their best, but they cannot save this mess.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image is soft and poor throughout, as the disc tries to squeeze the very, very long 219 minutes onto one disc, a mistake Warner made with Wyatt Earp and Universal made with Spartacus (both reviewed elsewhere on this site) in the HD formats.  Though Director of Photography Kess Van Oostrum, A.S.C., shot the film completely in more consistent Super 35mm stocks versus Gettysburg, which has some poor patches as it was originally intended only as a TV mini-series, there is no excuse for this too look so lame.  Color and depth also noticeably suffer.  The Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix becomes the highlight with a punchy sound mix that tries to outdo the DTS theatrical on Gettysburg, which itself had its moments despite also being awkward.  The combination is lopsided, like the film itself.  Extras include optional Ted Turner intro, an audio commentary by Maxwell et al and the original theatrical trailer on one side, plus three documentaries on the other and a DVD-ROM section with stills, a timeline and quiz.

 

For diehard Civil War fans only, if that.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo