Review of Ride with the Devil (1999) by Benjamin F — 25 Jul 2008

A very interesting western epic from Ang Lee. Definitely one of his more underrated and little-seen films, focusing on the less familiar side of the Civil War, and looking at it from a generally less sympathetic perspective and finding sympathy with its characters over their cause.

The Confederates - though obviously misguided in many regards - were no less human than the Union forces. And this Missouri-bound tale of guerilla warfare reminds us that the war wasn't simply an epic struggle between the north and south across a specific divide.

Between Kansas and Missouri, there was a much more personal war being waged between friends and neighbors. Strong performances from the leads in Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, and Jeffrey Wright. Jewel turned a solid enough performance in her supporting role as well.

And in general, the film had a compelling script, gorgeous cinematography, and a great supporting cast. Ride with the Devil definitely doesn't deserve to be overlooked as the strong, honest Civil War film it is.

A film taking a sympathetic look at young people fighting on the side of the Confederacy might not sound particularly easy to swallow at first, but the film's well worth giving a shot - it'll give you much to think about and certainly serve as a reminder of the humanity of those who fought, even if their cause was hardly an admirable one.

Very interesting film from Ang Lee.