Ride with the Devil (Director's Cut)
The Criterion Collection
With this new director’s cut, Ang Lee reconstructs his original vision for Ride with the Devil, a harrowing, unorthodox Civil War epic. Set during the Kansas-Missouri border war, the film follows Jake (Tobey Maguire) and Jack Bull (Skeet Ulrich), who join the Confederate-sympathizing Bushwhackers after Jack Bull’s father is killed by abolitionist Jayhawkers, and find an unusual ally in Holt (Jeffrey Wright), who’s fighting for the South despite being a former slave. A rumination on identity and loyalty, both political and personal, Ride with the Devil is a provocative challenge to preconceptions about America’s bloodiest conflict.
Member Reviews
A Unique Civil War Movie! - ShowBill1
This is the Criterion re-release of a very different view of the Civil War. It is directed by Ang Lee and I feel that if a different director had handled this it would have been far more successful. The screenplay had great potential (being such a different slant to the war). There were plenty of good actors with Skeet Urich, Tobey Maguire, Jeffery Wright,Johnathan Rhys Meyers, and even Jewel in her acting debut. The film only lasted a few weeks in theaters, which was a shame.
The story centers on a gang of “Bushwhackers” (part bandit, part guerilla) from the south who were fighting viciously, almost independently, from the war itself. The border state of Missouri was in the unenviable position of having families and friends split on support for the battle. It shows us fairly accurately how young men(boys) were affected by the war, and forced to grow old way to quickly.. This film gives us very different view on how the war actually affected border communities.
The cinematography is excellent; the costumes were outstandingly authentic as were the settings. There are some typical Ang Lee slow stretches in this film, and although character relationships are emphasized there are several graphic action scenes.
This is a film any anyone interested in history should see, as it shows a new (fairly unique) view on the terrible consequences of Civil war. 3 ½ Stars
Member Reviews
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A Unique Civil War Movie! - ShowBill1
This is the Criterion re-release of a very different view of the Civil War. It is directed by Ang Lee and I feel that if a different director had handled this it would have been far more successful. The screenplay had great potential (being such a different ...