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Ride With The Devil
1999
Director Ang Lee follows up the critically acclaimed THE ICE STORM with this look at the bloody, intense conflict between the pro-Confederate Bushwackers and the pro-Union Jayhawkers in Missouri during the Civil War. Pitting neighbor against neighbor, the war in the frontier state tested personal loyalties and often created .. Read more
| Starring | Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, Jeffrey Wright, Jewel |
|---|---|
| Director | Ang Lee |
| Genres | Action/Adventure |
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Ride With The Devil
Director Ang Lee follows up the critically acclaimed THE ICE STORM with this look at the bloody, intense conflict between the pro-Confederate Bushwackers and the pro-Union Jayhawkers in Missouri during the Civil War. Pitting neighbor against neighbor, the war in the frontier state tested personal loyalties and often created strange alliances. The film, based on Daniel Woodrell's book WOE TO LIVE ON, follows the conflict through the eyes of two outsiders: a German immigrant's son (Tobey Maguire) and a free black man (Jeffrey Wright), both of whom fight for the Bushwhackers even though they are looked down upon by their fellow guerrillas. The acting is strong all around, the setting realistically grim and absorbing, and Frederick Elmes's photography is, as always, top-notch. Pop singer Jewel appears onscreen for the first time, playing a plucky Southern woman. A nuanced examination of the bonds of obligation, RIDE WITH THE DEVIL anticipates Lee's high-flying CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, both in theme and in pulse-pounding action. The film contains many standout action sequences, including a historically accurate re-creation of William Quantrill's infamous raid on Lawrence, Kansas.
| Starring | Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, Jeffrey Wright, Jewel |
|---|---|
| Director | Ang Lee |
| Studio | ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 15 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 15 May 2000 Production year: 1999 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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Director Ang Lee turns in another handsome, moving and unmissable piece of cinema, this time set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. Jack Bull (Skeet Ulrich) and Jake (Tobey Maguire) are two members of the “bushwhackers” — southern guerrillas who secretly ambush Yankee platoons along the Missouri backroads. When they have to hide out for the winter, the pair and two fellow irregulars — one an ex-slave — hole up in a cave cut out of a hill, where they are sent food and water by a beautiful young widow (singer Jewel). It's an epic yet intimate portrait of relationships and war, boasting superb performances from the almost completely male cast and a compelling script by writer/producer James Schamus.
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Dour, beautifully photographed semi-western, a harsh drama of idealism corrupted and redeemed; it ably shows the futility of war, as both sides commit atrocities and betrayals, but might have benefitted from a maturer point of view than that of its youthf
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Most helpful member's review
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9 out of 9 people found this review helpful
CINEMA ON A GRAND SCALE
A TALE OF THE DISAPPEARENCE OF A WAY OF LIFE. TOLD WITH BRILLIANTLY SWEEPING VISUALS, A HAUNTING SOUNDTRACK AND INTELLIGENT (IF SOMEWHAT QUIETLY DELIVERED SCRIPT). A 'SLOW BURNER' IN PARTS, REFLECTING THE PACE OF LIFE AT THE TIME PRIOR TO THE CIVIL WAR BUT THE VIEWER IS SHOOK OUT OF THEIR REVERIE BY THE EXPLOSIVE AND GORY BATTLE SCENES. GOOD ACTING ALL ROUND, A GREAT 'OLD FASHIONED' FILM.
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Most recent members' review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
A dam good film. No swearing - who'd have thought possible in a movie these days. Great performance by Toby Macguire. Tells a USA civil war story set in Missouri, there's realistic battle scenes of blood and gore, showing man's inhumanity to man at its worst at times. The ending . . .well that would spoilt it. Well worth watching. The dialogue at times was low in volume and someone hard of hearing would find it difficult to hear all that was said at times.
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News and features
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Lust, Caution: Ang Lee interview
- 03 Jan 2008
We caught up with Oscar-winning director Ang Lee to get the low-down on his new controversial film Lust, Caution, an espionage thriller set in the turbulent time of WWII-era Shanghai and starring Tony Leung and newcomer Wei Tang. LOVEFiLM: Due to the explicit nature of some of the scenes in the film, you had to edit a lot for the Chinese audience, how did you manage to do this? Ang Lee: I was surprised they even allowed me to do this movie and also allow me to have two versions like this. So... Read more
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Ride With The Devil
Director Ang Lee follows up the critically acclaimed THE ICE STORM with this look at the bloody, intense conflict between the pro-Confederate Bushwackers and the pro-Union Jayhawkers in Missouri during the Civil War. Pitting neighbor against neighbor, the war in the frontier state tested personal ...
-