Reviews

Films

Gods and Generals

Directed by Ronald F. Maxwell, starring Jeff Daniels, Stephen Lang

Here's a movie for the fella, or perhaps lady, in your life who looks forward to getting their new war book at Christmas time. They might read it on the porch, peering at the pages through thick glasses that perch on the end of their noses, smoking a pipe and wrapped in a beige sweater. Yep, Gods and Generals might be right up their alley although everyone else might think of a thousand better things to do with three and a half hours of their time. One of the stuffiest war films ever produced, this is a meticulously detailed but utterly pompous Civil War epic.

And they can't even manage to squeeze the whole war into the running time. Instead we are taken through two years of it, a handful of battle re-enactments and more than a dozen speeches where the actors gaze nobly into the distance. Every word is uttered with gusto and everyone goes for broke, puffing their chests out and over-enunciating every syllable. The gallery of beards on show is impressive but also the cause for unintentional hilarity, as some resemble frightened small animals clutching desperately to the faces of ever-so-earnest soldiers.

Among the cast of characters are the legendary General Robert E Lee (Robert Duvall in a surprisingly restrained performance) and General "Stonewall" Jackson (Stephen Lang). An indication of just how slow the pacing is in Gods and Generals is Jackson's death scene, which clocks in at around 20 minutes. It is testimony to the actors gathered around the bed that they could stretch faux-grief over that period of time. The battle scenes are dutifully recreated if a little too bloodless to be believable and only Civil War buffs will enjoy going the distance.

Ben Davey

The Iron Triangle (Tie Sanjiao)

Directed by Ringo Lam (pictured middle), Johnny To (left), and Hark Tsui (right)

Three men and a priceless antique. The film tells an uncanny story of how much greed can change one's life. A mysterious old man leaves the clue where an ancient golden vest was hidden. The three friends begin their adventure to find the waist, while their own fate become unavoidably interwoven with three other groups of people, who also want the treasure.

The story's beginning, middle part and the ending were directed by three different directors. Pleasantly surprising, the three parts come together well. The plot is smooth, grabbing and full of twists. The depiction of the three characters - one clumsy, one sly, and one childish - is successful. The special effects and fight scene take viewers back to the golden age of Hong Kong action films.

The disappointing part, however, is the ending, which is a bit of a clich when viewers are told they shouldn't be driven by greed. This isn't part of the story development but a plainly delivered line from one character. Without the preachy ending, the film would have been a more brilliant piece of work.

Liu Wei

(China Daily 10/18/2007 page20)