Rating: 
Summary: Good, but with one major fault
Review: This is as good a documentary as anyone has ever made. It is beautifully photographed and very dramatic. Its voiceover actors are almost perfect for their roles and its talking heads, particularly Shelby Foote, are interesting and informative, coming in at just the right time. Even though there isn't a battle recreation here, I got more of a feel of what the battles must have been like watching this than from any other Civil War documentary I've ever seen. The subjects covered here are rather cliched; one would like to heard much more about things like the inner wars in east Tennessee and Missouri or the New York draft riots. But this is still the best Civil War documentary available. Which isn't the compliment you'd think. Because if you want to understand why the war happened, you won't find that out here. Burns dedicates about half of one episode to the causes of the war, nowhere near enough time. It took Allan Nevins 2,000 pages to get from 1848 to 1861. Entire books have been written on the causes of the war, a topic Burns barely discusses. There is next-to nothing here about the split in the Democratic party in the 1840's, the political controversy over Oregon and Texas, the battles over internal improvements which alienated the West, or even the Kansas- Nebraska Act, which led to the formation of the Republican Party. Burns' Civil War just kind of begins. It would have been nice to know what brought it on. If you want to know about Civil War battles, this is a good place to do it. If you want to understand the war, keep looking.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely worth the the money
Review: You could say a lot of things about THE CIVIL WAR. You could mention that probably no documentary has been seen by more people. You could point out that it entirely revolutionized the way documentaries are made. You could even assert that it turned being a documentarist into a paying job. Indeed, it may well have single-handedly paved the way for the creation of an entire network, The History Channel. But for me, the best praise I can give this thing is to say that before I saw this film, no period of history was as boring to me as the American Civil War. Afterwards, none seemed to matter more.
Rating:
Summary: Only one small problem
Review: I loved this, but there's only one small problem - it doesn't fit in my DVD player. What's that? There's no DVD version? Hey Burns, let's go buddy. And please include subtitles.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Films ever on the Civil War
Review: Ken Burns and historian Shelby Foote really do a great job with thie 11 hour epic on the Civil War (1861 to 1865). A review can not do it justice, you must see the film yourself to see how great and touching it really is. It's a film you will always remember, about a time our nation can never forget.
Rating:
Summary: Possibly the best.... one thing missing
Review: This is quite possibly the best documentary series of all time. Burns' style is fascinating, and many excerpts of this series are themselves worthy of watching repeatedly and studying. The American Civil War is one of the most important events in American and world history, but Burns trasforms it into a subject for initimate and personal exploration. I just sit and wonder what makes him so good at this. I also found 'The West' to be quite powerful. There is only one thing missing to make this series perfect... DVD!
Rating:
Summary: Brings Civil War to Life
Review: This 9-volume set of videos brings the Civil War to life. Using photos, readings from diaries and other documents from participants, and commentary by experts such as Shelby Foote, the videos effectively communicate a sense of what the war was like. The documentary focuses particularly on the experience of ordinary people, especially the soldiers, whose valor and commitment is truly awesome. Even at 9 volumes, the video provides only a general overview. It whetted my appetite to learn more. Unfortunately, the companion book by Geoffrey C. Ward is not the best place to go for a more in-depth treatment.
Rating:
Summary: View The Civil War With New Eyes!
Review: First of all, I DO NOT ENJOY DOCUMENTARIES! Or at least I thought I didn't. But Ken Burns' documentary of the Civil War was so realistic and moving, that I had to tear myself away from the television. The music and the photographs really make the Civil War come to life before your very eyes. Two words that make this film worth watching: Shelby Foote. His stories and insights make him seem as if he were sitting in the room with you discussing the Civil War. If you had no interest in The War Between the States before seeing this film, you will after. I would recommend this set of videos to anyone: history buff or not!
Rating: 
Summary: Best Civil War documentary TELEVISION has done, but...
Review: While Ken Burns did a MUCH better job than most Television documentaries on the Civil War, it is far from perfect. It has a bias -- that the war was almost entirely about slavery. While slavery was a Key Issue, Burns elevates it. There are other problems. The Myth that Robert E. Lee never referred to the Union as "the enemy" is perpetuated. Yet even in one section of the documentary Lee is quoted as saying "the enemy is there..." which begs the question. There are numerous factual errors. The film states that over 100,000 Union soldiers were under the age of 16 (it was closer to 1,000) and even gets the age of Lincoln at his death wrong. Nitpicking? Perhaps, but these are easily checked facts. Burns also seems to have used as one of his principle guides to the period the writer Shelby Foote. Foote is a good writer (and looks every bit the perfect figure on TV) but is NOT a historian. In short, don't use this as your only reference point.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent If One Has The Time
Review: While I agree with most folks that this is the best documentary on the Civil War ever made, I give it four stars instead of five because of the following reasons. The documentary tends to get bogged down in sentiment and dreary details. This is a fine film if one has the time to go over every detail - sentimental, political, religious, as well as military. However unlike documentaries about the two World Wars or the American Revolution, this film seems more caught up with the human pathos of the Civil War in trying to make the war real to the viewer rather than giving him or her the facts in a concise manner. This is fine if one is trying to move those who are indifferent or who are trying to get a personal feel for the War, but for a serious student of history, it makes the film drudgerous and in many ways out right boring! I own a copy of the complete set, however I am annoyed as to how the film drags in era piece music, stills, songs, and expressions of all principals to make a point of how horrid and bloody the Civil War was. I doubt a documentary about the Vietnam War, a war my generation lived through would (or does) get the same sort of treatment.
Rating:
Summary: A great Investment
Review: This set is pricy but it is a great investment since you and others are likely to view it and refer to it many times in the future. The nine tape set is comprehensive and like Bruse Catton's, Shelby Foote's and Time/Life's multivolume sets of books, all nine tapes are required to do justice to all the battles, social issues, and great leaders which comprised the Civil War. The tapes are made particularly interesting by the inclusion of colorful commentators such as Shelby Foote and Ed Bearss. I recommend a study of the War which includes both reading as well as video presentaions and I believe this set is a great component of such a study. There are other good multi tape sets such as the History Channel's wonderful "Civil War Journal." If you are buying just one, however, the Burns masterpiece is the one to get. Also, whether or not you intend to read one of the great histories of the war such as Foote's or James McPherson's, you will do well to view this documentary.
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