Rating: 
Summary: Could Have Been Better
Review: Both Renée Zellweger and Jude Law give outstanding performances in this movie. However, I felt Nicole Kidman was just awful. The movie takes place during the civil war, and Nicole looks like she just walked out of a spa in Beverly Hills. I also felt Natalie Portman was mis-cast in her role.
I agree with the other reviews I read that people say the nudity was excessive and unnecessary. The director could have shown the love scene with a much lighter hand, and the point would have come across alot better. It wasn't as romantic as it should have been, the nudity was to obvious.
Regardless, Renee is wonderful, and is definately worthy of her Oscar nomnation. Even being in a film that was not that well done, she gives a performance 100% better than anyone else in the cast. Jude Law is also outstanding, as a man who is running away from the Civil War.
Also, this is a movie about the American Civil War. The studio shot in in a foreign country just to save money .... very tacky.
Rating: 
Summary: Tailor-made for an Oscar
Review: "Cold Mountain" was a pretty good flick -- it may go without saying that the book was better -- but I felt it was tainted by a conscious eye on the academy awards.
There's the stab at a supporting actress bid in the propped-up comic role for Renee Zellweger. Best actress (which it didn't get, ironically) attempt with the woman-without-her-man-fends-for-herself Nicole Kidman, who comically dons the latest New York fashions at the end of the movie as if showing us that's what happens to women if they're not properly domesticated, they become big-city professionals. Best actor in Jude Law - the most compelling performance, by the way - who walks through literal hells, all for the love of a woman. But the best example of an Oscar attempt was the Kiss. Kidman searches out Law on the day of his departure, and they lock lips in one of the steamiest kisses you'll ever see on the big screen. Don't go looking for it in the book, however. It didn't happen. In the book, Ada and Inman are too bound by convention, by time and place, which makes their respective personal rebellions later against the war and in favor of a simple personal connection all the more remarkable. In the movie, however, libido is heightened, and a memorable kiss occurs that doesn't jibe with the original story, but makes great cinema. After "Cold Mountain" wins best pic, they'll show this kiss in every awards ceremony afterwards. Put money on it. Lately I've been thinking about the irony that this movie and "Master and Commander" got academy nods. They're both war movies in time of war. Unlike the cheesy and straight-forward propagandistic flicks of the Second World War which told us how to feel about the war, these movies are subtler and simply reflect our attitudes to war. War is hell, they say, good people die. But...it's dang glamorous, baby! And boy! Do we enjoy it! Perhaps a natural attitude for a people who are just about completely unaffected by the war our country is currently embroiled in.
Rating:
Summary: I despise a floggin' rooster
Review: Three and a half stars... Most online critics and Amazon reviewers will make you believe that this is a bad movie. Well, it's not. It's a very good movie. Very good. But it has a terrible flaw: failed expectations. Yes, this movie had everything it needed to be a true classic. A great story taken from a great novel, an Oscar winning director (Minghella), an Oscar winning leading actress (Kidman), an Oscar nominated leading actor (Law), an Oscar nominated supporting actress (Zellweger), a Civil war backdrop, a love story, lots of known actors in small roles and a gorgeous setting. However, in this case, the whole was less than the sum of its parts. Many people have said that Kidman and Law didn't really have any chemistry. That they relationship didn't seem as strong as it needed to be in order for this characters to endure what they had to. I believe they're wrong. I actually bought the whole love at first sight, we only met a few times thing. Oddly enough, to me it was Kidman, not Law, who better portrayed this emotions (I say this because it was him who got the Oscar nomination). Another thing that people seem to complain about is Renée Zellweger's performance. They say it's over-the-top, a "Kathy Bates" impersonation. I don't agree. I think she did a wonderful job in portraying wild spirited Ruby. She was indeed the comedic relief of the film, but she also had a few great dramatic scenes. I, for one, don't usually like her, but she convinced me this time around. The story is not really complicated. ...It just goes on and on and on and on until you're more preoccupied with how much longer is it to the end of the movie, than with the characters or the story. After the movie ends, you're feeling relieved it's over instead of being fulfilled by it. I guess that's why it wasn't nominated for Best Picture or Best Director. No one in the Academy watched the whole thing thru...
Rating: 
Summary: Best Movie Ever Made
Review: (...)It was wonderfully acted and shot beautifully and kidman, zellweger, Law, and Natalie Portman do an excellent job in this VERY EPIC movie. And from the looks of the dvd, its going to have some sweet special features. If you like movies see this...if you hate movies, go watch Daddy Day Care or The Friday after Next.
Rating:
Summary: Overly Long and Rather Boring
Review: I really disliked the book, COLD MOUNTAIN, but I love the screenwriting of Anthony Minghella. As wonderful a book as THE ENGLISH PATIENT was, Minghella made it into an even better film, so I really believed COLD MOUNTAIN would be a far better film than was COLD MOUNTAIN, the very flawed book. And it was. The only problem is, COLD MOUNTAIN wasn't nearly as good a book as was THE ENGLISH PATIENT. Minghella didn't have nearly as much "raw material" to work with. COLD MOUNTAIN is a lyrical, poetic film with a dreamy quality. Jude Law captures Inman's lost, shattered quality perfectly but that's about all he's able to capture. During his travels back to Cold Mountain, he's overshadowed by the minor characters he encounters along his way. Renee Zellwegger is almost perfect. Her Ruby is everything Kidman's Ada is not. Ruby is flamboyant, Ada is quiet; Ruby is capable, Ada let things fall apart; Ruby speaks her mind, Ada is more reserved. Occasionally, though, I felt Zellwegger let Ruby slip almost into caricature, but these few times, however, can be forgiven. Nicole Kidman who smoldered in TO DIE FOR, sparkled in MOULIN ROUGE and was impeccable in THE HOURS simply recedes into the background when juxtaposed against Zellwegger's extraverted Ruby. The love story between Ada and Inman is simply not believable, either. There's no chemistry between Kidman and Law and I think this did a lot to hurt the film. I think COLD MOUNTAIN is overly long and I also think its first half is rather boring. Minghella gives us a lot of backstory, mostly in flashbacks, that's fairly interesting, but there's just too much of it. The very best thing about COLD MOUNTAIN is its cinematography. John Seale, who was the cinematographer on THE ENGLISH PATIENT is also the cinematographer for COLD MOUNTAIN and he brings the same lush, dreamy, poetic qualities to COLD MOUNTAIN as he did to THE ENGLISH PATIENT. Whatever complaint one may have about COLD MOUNTAIN, there is no denying that it is beautifully filmed. In the end, despite Minghella's masterful treatment, I think the episodic and picaresque qualities of COLD MOUNTAIN are its undoing. The film simply never comes together, never coalesces. COLD MOUNTAIN was an awkward and awkwardly written book and, while Minghella managed to lose the awkwardness of Charles Frazier's naive writing, he couldn't imbue this film with an actual story that was engaging and worthy of a viewer's time. I wouldn't recommend COLD MOUNTAIN to anyone except Civil War buffs, fans of Kidman, Law or Zellwegger or those who loved the book. If, like me, you didn't like the book, chances are you aren't going to like this film, either.
Rating:
Summary: Almost
Review: Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, Cold Mountain is mostly a story about both the kindness and the cruelty of ordinary people during difficult times. It's also a love story. Unfortunately, at least for this reviewer, I felt that the budding relationship between Inman (Jude Law) and Ada (Nicole Kidman) wasn't developed enough. Although they flirt and share a special kiss before Inman leaves for war, there just didn't seem to be enough of a bond between them for someone to risk their life returning home. (Perhaps this aspect of the film will be fleshed out more in an extended DVD version?) Honestly, even at 2 1/2 hours, I felt like this epic film could have been a half an hour longer. There were plenty of interesting characters who deserved more screen time. Up and coming actress Natalie Portman (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) finally breaks out with an incredible performance as a single mother with a baby just trying to get by through the ravages of war. Even though her part was small, she still managed to convey the utter despair of her very sad character. Cinematically, this film is breathtaking. In fact, the filmmakers have managed to painstakingly recreate the 1864 siege at Petersburg, Virginia complete with trenches, gaunt Confederates and even the Battle of the Crater. As far as I know, I don't believe this particular battle has ever been depicted in a major motion picture. As such, it was well researched and very authentic. All in all, Cold Mountain is a good film. However, I believe it missed the mark of greatness by not developing the relationship early on between the two main characters. This detracted a bit from the aspect of Inman's long and perilous journey home. Was she really worth all of that? In sum, if you're a fan of period Civil War movies like "Summersby" or "Ride With the Devil", then this film is certainly one for your DVD library.
Rating:
Summary: "Cold Mountain" celebrates the triumph of the human spirit!!
Review: From Academy Award winning director Anthony Minghella ("The English Patient", "The Talented Mr. Ripley") comes "Cold Mountain", one of the most powerful, stunning, and unforgettable epics ever to grace the big screen! The direction of Minghella was nothing short of extraordinary! The performances of Academy Award nominee Jude Law ("A.I.: Artificial Intelligence") and Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman ("The Hours") and Renee Zellweger ("Chicago") were, in every possible way, outstanding! Rounding out the cast are Eileen Atkins ("Cold Comfort Farm"), Brendan Gleeson ("Lake Placid"), Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Punch-Drunk Love"), Natalie Portman ("Star Wars: Episodes I and II"), Giovanni Ribisi ("Saving Private Ryan"), Donald Sutherland ("A Time to Kill"), Ray Winstone ("Sexy Beast"), Kathy Baker ("Lush Life"), Jack White (of the White Stripes), and Melora Walters ("Magnolia"), in which they gave excellent performances alongside the three leads. From the best-selling novel by Charles Frazier, "Cold Mountain" puts the focus on W.P. Inman (Law), a carpenter from Cold Mountain, N.C. who develops an attraction for a proper lady named Ada Monroe (Kidman), while working on building a new church. Ada catches an eye for Inman when she arrives in the town of Cold Mountain with her father, Rev. Monroe (Sutherland). Unable to express himself, Inman finds it difficult to express his feelings for Ada, which she eagerly returns with similar shyness. When the Civil War comes into Cold Mountain, Inman, along with a handful of others, enlists in the fight, leaving behind Ada just as they were about to embark on a passionate romance of their own. Over the next four years, Ada sends Inman letters of love and hope, even as her own life is beginning to fall apart. In the aftermath of the war, not to mention recovering from a gunshot wound, Inman decides to desert the Confederacy and return home to Cold Mountain. Along the way, Inman meets an assortment of colorful characters that alternately help and hinder his progress, including a young mother (Portman) and another reverend (Hoffman) of a town that Inman is passing through. Back in Cold Mountain, Ruby Thewes (Zellweger), a drifter and skilled farmhand, walks into Ada's life and helps her tend to the land, as well as protecting her from the lawmen (led by Winstone) who look to take over the nearly deserted town. "Cold Mountain", once again, comes from the Charles Frazier's best-selling novel of long-lost love, companionship, and redemption, set against the time of rapid morale loss of the South during the final moments of the Civil War. Writer/director Minghella does quite a job in adapting the book for the big screen. However, with exact attention to detail, magnificent casting, and source material ripe for the picking, "Cold Mountain" makes for a stirring success in every way imaginable. While the film is exquisitely mounted and written, a good chunk of its power comes from the supporting cast, as Minghella took advantage of planting acting surprises around every corner. As Jude Law's Inman makes his pilgrimage to Cold Mountain, he meets up with the likes of fine actors as, once again, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Giovanni Ribisi, Melora Walters, Jena Malone, and an excellent Natalie Portman. As for Nicole Kidman's internal journey of Ada, she encounters Donald Sutherland, Ray Winstone, Charlie Hunnam, Kathy Baker, James Gammon, Brendan Gleeson, Ethan Suplee, and Jack White (of the White Stripes band). The community vibe of the actors is intoxicating, casting a spell over the film. The three leads of "Cold Mountain" do not disappoint either, to say the least. Jude Law brings a quiet, hungry determination to his almost dialog-free role of Inman. Nicole Kidman tackles another accent and succeeds. Minghella has chosen her journey of Ada as the most profound of the story, and Kidman rises to the challenge elegantly, adding another notch to her impressive film career, not to mention coming off an Academy Award win for her role in "The Hours". Law and Kidman both shade their performances accordingly, staying true to their situation, which is even more heartbreaking and ultimately devastating to behold. The real soul of "Cold Mountain" is found in the Academy Award winning supporting performance of Renee Zellweger's Ruby. The brunt nature of Ruby is an element to Zellweger's acting. There are passionate performances all around, guided well by Minghella, but Zellweger is different and brilliant in her own unique cadence and posture. In conclusion, "Cold Mountain" comes at a time when big battles and epic landscapes are all the rage. Through Anthony Minghella's ace direction, the film transforms from a prospective thudding tearjerker to something much more enriching and absorbing. "Cold Mountain" is a remarkable motion picture, and an unforgettable one at that. Especially since the film has top-notch talents from an all-star cast and the characters that they portray, riveting storytelling, and heartfelt emotion. I now own the 2-disc DVD, with features such as deleted scenes, "making-of" documentaries, storyboard comparisons, and much more. There will be no other film quite like "Cold Mountain"!
Rating: 
Summary: A waste of time
Review: I absolutely hated this movie. Nicole Kidman is too old to play such a young character. The story started depressing and ended suicidal! I actually bought this dvd and after I watched it one time, I threw it in the trash. The only good thing about it was Renee Z's excellent rendition of a tough country girl. Only watch this movie if you like self-punishment.
Rating:
Summary: Cold Mountain: Great Epic
Review: This year has seen many films without hobbits try to make claims as great epics.Only Cold Mountain comes close in the epic department to that film about a ring. A movie that not ony is a great love story, but also a great war film. This film does not dare make war look pretty and shows the disenfranchised state of all the parties involved, especially the people of Cold Mountain. Jude Law and Nicole Kidman do a great job of making the audience believe in their love, despite the very short amount of time they share together. Every glance means something, as does every word these two characters speak. You understand why Jude Law's character would go on this odyssey to find his love and you believe in it and want it to happen. I also appreciated how the movie does not glamourize the war or make the soldiers noble and loyal heroes. The soldiers in this film may have once been hungry for war, but now realize that it won't solve anything and doesn't have a true cause worth fighting for. The film is well cast with many recognizable actors showing up in small parts and Law and Kidman both put in Oscar-nomination worthy performances, although neither deserves to win the award. The performance that does deserve to be recognized is Renee Zewellger as Ruby. She not only steals this movie, but makes a case for one of the greatest performances of the year period and maybe all time. It is a truly memorable performance and she does an excellent job displaying corage, strength, humility, determination, humor and resourcefulness. This movie is good without her, but becomes great due to her performance. She makes this film a must see for every one.
Rating: 
Summary: Why is this such a popular film?
Review: I am still unsure of why this film has received so much hype. Jude Law is pretty, Kidman is prissy, and Renee, well, she's there. But none of them deliver in the acting department... and the cameos are nothing but self-indulgent. Phillip Seymore-Hoffman is uncharacteristically uninspiring, and Jena Malone is downright awful.
The plot was written, I am convinced, by someone unfamiliar with Gone with the Wind, yet trying to create a modern reconstruction of the film. It drags. It meanders. It loses focus more times than I can count. And finally, when the beautiful lovers are finally united, after two hours of waiting, extraordinarily uninspiring sex breaks out, assassinating the sincerity and beauty of the characters otherwise undefiled relationship. Wait.... what relationship?! How long did Law's character know Kidman's? There is absolutely no set up, no sympathy for their romance. These are two people who aren't seen together on the screen for more than fifteen minutes! How are we expected to believe they are so desperately in love with each other if there is no time devoted to establishing their relationship?
On the brighter side, the film is magnificently shot, with beautiful scenery and an extremely crisp cinematic style, and the scale is epic, but this simply does not pull the film from out of the rather deep hole it digs itself.
I can't recommend this film for anyone serious about good filmmaking or serious drematic stories. The best I can do is say it's a nice looking chick-flick with a hundred different stars if you can't find anything better to watch.
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