Ride With The Devil
"Powerful, Gripping! Don't Miss It!" -CBS TV
Ride with the Devil follows four people fighting for truth and justice amidst the turmoil of the American Civil War. Director Ang Lee takes us to a no man's land on the Missouri/ Kansas border where a staunch loyalist (Skeet Ulrich), an immigrant's son (Tobey Maguire), a freed slave (Jeffrey Wright) and a young widow (Jewel) form an unlikely friendship as they learn how to survive in place without rules and redefine the meaning of bravery and honor.
Member Reviews
Excruciating! - revsdd
This movie was two and a quarter excruciating hours. Someone please tell me what the point was?
I mean, I understand the historical setting. It's supposed to be about a ragtag group of Confederate bushwhackers (terrorists?) on the Missouri-Kansas frontier, taking revenge against all northern sympathizers and abolitionists during the U.S. Civil War. But aside from gratuitous violence there wasn't really much of a point to this movie. Perhaps it was a political statement? That war is really nothing much more than gratuitous violence? If that was the point it was done quite well, but I don't think that was the point. I think the producers really thought they were making a worthwhile movie here, but as far as I was concerned there was a complete lack of any plot. It seemed like I was watching a paperback novel come to life, with the characters looking like what you would see on the covers of such novels.
This movie should be burned along with some of the towns this gang torched!The great Ang Lee does it again - Ralston_McTodd
Ang Lee films begin softly and build emotion upon emotion so naturally that the intensity is overwhelming but never comes as a surprise. They are a joy to watch--not fun to watch. They challenge your understanding of life. This one does all that, disguised as a Western. There is violence here, but never simply for shock value. The film is disturbing and comforting and leaves you feeling better for having seen it. Don't expect a feel-good shoot-'em-up.Brush up on that civil war history - said
Grab your pen and get ready to take notes! Ride with the Devil may be an easier movie to follow with some American history, but this Canadian had to hold onto the rope pretty tight. Keeping straight what side of the war the Jayhawlks, Bushwhackers, Confederates, Unionists, and Federalists were on would make any boy dizzy. The performances of Skeet Ulrich (Jack Bull Chiles), Tobey Maguire (Jake Roedel), Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (Pitt Mackeson) are wonderful to watch, but on whole the movie is very long and rather slow.
Member Reviews
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Excruciating! - revsdd
This movie was two and a quarter excruciating hours. Someone please tell me what the point was?
I mean, I understand the historical setting. It's supposed to be about a ragtag group of Confederate bushwhackers (terrorists?) on the Missouri-Kansas frontier, ...The great Ang Lee does it again - Ralston_McTodd
Ang Lee films begin softly and build emotion upon emotion so naturally that the intensity is overwhelming but never comes as a surprise. They are a joy to watch--not fun to watch. They challenge your understanding of life. This one does all that, disguised ...Brush up on that civil war history - said
Grab your pen and get ready to take notes! Ride with the Devil may be an easier movie to follow with some American history, but this Canadian had to hold onto the rope pretty tight. Keeping straight what side of the war the Jayhawlks, Bushwhackers, Confederates, ...