A true epic, in every sense of the word, Anthony Minghella's Cold Mountain is a marvel of a movie. Some have already decried its length, which I actually had no problem with, others have attacked the believability of the enduring romance which informs nearly every second of the film - the briefly kindled but long burning love between Inman and Ada - and to them, for whom the film obviously didn't work, I can only shake my head. By not allowing themsleves to be swept up in this tale, they are missing a truly wonderful ride indeed.

Based on the National Book Award winning novel by Charles Frazer, Minghella's Cold Mountain is a loose Civil War era re-telling of "The Odyessy" that fills the screen with love, war, good, evil, faith, and humor. Featuring a rather stunning, if mostly dialogue-free, performance from Jude Law (as Inman), an admirable turn by Nicole Kidman as a Southern belle, and Renee Zellweger in an over-the-top but still moving role, Cold Mountain manages to succeed both as an epic and as a good, intelligent film.

Having never cared much for Minghella's films (The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley), I was more than a bit weary in approaching Cold Mountain, the third consecutive film that Minghella has adapted from a successful book. I appreciated his craft, his use of music and his sensibilities in the previous two films, but just felt rather unaffected or bored by the overall result. I went into this film assuming nothing; I left knowing I'd just seen one of the better films of the year.

The tale is, essentialy, a rather simple one. Ada (Kidman) moves to Cold Mountain, from a much larger town, with her preacher father (Donald Sutherland). Inman (Law) "works wood" as a carpenter around the estate that Ada's father purchases. The town is buzzing, war is in the air. Over the course of a few weeks, Ada and Inman meet, talk briefly, grow fond of each other, and begin to fall in love. In the midst of their courtship, the Civil War begins, and Inman rushes off to enlist with his fellow Cold Mountain citizens. Right before he leaves town with the others, Inman and Ada kiss for the first time, passionately. She gives him a book to read and a picture of herself, telling him she will always wait for him.

Three years and a gunshot to the neck later, Inman deserts the Southern army - a crime in itself - and begins the long trek home to Cold Mountain, and Ada's arms (hence the parallel to Homer's ancient masterpiece). Along the way he meets wise men and villians, is tempted and is shot at, walks his way towards redemption and realizes the primary evils that inform the world. The Inman that leaves the army hospital is hardly the same man that arrives many moons later back in Cold Mountain. The war, the journey home, and life itself have changed him.

Ada, for her part, has changed quite a lot as well. Broken by the war and its economy, she soon has little to eat and an estate that is quickly going to waste. Ruby (Zellweger) is sent to Ada to help her, and wastes no time in changing all the rules of Ada's proper Southern life. The two form a tight bond based on trust and mutual admiration, allowing Ada the strength to go on hoping for Inman's return. The two stories (Inman's and Ada's) are intercut expertly by Minghella (as they were by Frazier in the source novel) and the film marches on to its rather inevitable conclusion.

Cold Mountain is indeed a long movie, but it also one that needs all the time it is given. Nothing seems wasted here, from the well-cast supporting roles (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Brendan GLeesen, Jack White, Jena Malone, Natalie Portman, Melora Walters, Ethan Supree, Taryn Manning and many more all play bit parts in the film) to the gorgeous, sweeping cinematography, to the near-perfect use of music; it all adds up to the wonderful whole that is Cold Mountain. Yes, this film seems tailor-made for Oscar consideration - and considering it is a Miramax film, Harvey Weinstein will no doubt make sure it receives many nominations - but it is also the rare film that is actually worthy of such consideration. It is by no means perfect, but it is so full of emotion, and so eleganly captured by all involved, that it ends up being worth every minute spent in the theater.

----

Side note: most films are better if experienced on a big screen, but some films, like this one, all but demand it. The scope of the film is quite large and its settings often so epic that it would be doing the film a disservice to see it in any other format. Though the film would no doubt still be moving, it could hardly hope to have quite the same impact on television as it does on a movie screen. If this film piques your interest in any way, and I certaily hope it does, do yourself a favor and see it the way it was meant to be seen.

Recommended: Yes