DVD Review: Cold Mountain
by Scott Juba
Published: June 29, 2004
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USA |
2003 |
Miramax |
Anthony Minghella |
Jude Law as Inman
Nicole Kidman as Ada
Renee Zellweger as Ruby
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To purchase Cold Mountain On DVD at Amazon.com Click Here.
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Every story has three essential elements: the setup, the main action of the plot, and the climax/resolution. In order for a film to achieve success, all three of these story segments need to be near perfect. Unfortunately, “Cold Mountain” fails to get even one of them right.
Riddled with structural flaws, “Cold Mountain” is a civil war epic that is strong on acting but weak on plot construction. Jude Law plays Inman, a Confederate soldier who abandons the army to return home to Ada (Kidman), the woman he loves. The problem with this love story is that the film’s initial stages do not establish a deep connection between Inman and Ada. Before Law’s character heads off to war, he shares remarkably little screen time with Kidman. To ask audiences to accept the longing desire that Inman has to return to Ada when so little has been done to solidify their bond is quite a stretch.
Compounding the problem, “Cold Mountain’s” middle section is drawn out and develops at a tepid, tedious pace. Even worse, the story ends on a surprisingly hollow note, with a predictable ending that is ripe with clichés.
“Cold Mountain’s” only saving grace is the acting, especially the performance of Jude Law. Following up his impressive yet largely underrated work in “Road To Perdition”, Law gives an intimate portrayal of Inman that is subtle and forceful at the same time. Law is gradually becoming one of Hollywood’s premiere actors, and his persuasive work in “Cold Mountain” further raises his stock.
As far as “Cold Mountain’s” DVD bonus features are concerned, there are audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and three featurettes. However, when a movie’s plot structure is as fundamentally flawed as “Cold Mountain’s” is, bonus material in and of itself is not enough to make a major contribution to the overall quality of the DVD. Furthermore, “Cold Mountain” is a film that is not the same experience in your home as it is in theatres. The majestic beauty of many of Minghella’s scenes is not quite as awe inspiring on a small screen. When dealing with a disjointed story, the lack of these potent visuals seems to stand out all the more.
Despite my criticism, “Cold Mountain” has won the praise of many other critics, so I don’t entirely recommend that the film be avoided. If you feel the need to decide for yourself, by all means do so; but most likely, you’ll feel left out in the cold.
Overall Grade: C
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