the war between the state be perhaps the dark hour in the history of america while a war that pit brother against brother and family against family and leave scar that even today have not yet heal and and in all probability never will . and and a in any story about any war and beyond any historical significance it be the personal discord behind the great conflict that create the emotional impetus that make it involve . it be the human element that render the context necessary to give it perspective and which be what director ang lee provide in ` ride with the devil and a civil war drama in which he focus on the personal travail within the broad depiction of the war itself and and along the way manage to include an examination of one of the bloody chapter of the war and the infamous raid on lawrence and kansa and by quantrill and his raider and which he succeed in present quite objectively from the confederate point of view . in 1863 and the union influence predominates in the state of kansa and and even across the border in neighbor missouri and those with confederate loyalty be find it increasingly difficult to hold out against the encroach northerner and especially without the aid of what could be consider any ` regular confederate troop . and when thing begin to really heat up around their own town and jack bull chile ( skeet ulrich ) and jake roedel ( tobey maguire ) form a band of their own and join in the fray and do damage to the union cause wherever it be practicable . jack bull and jake do not like the war and do not like kill while but they be stand up for what they believe to be right . there be others and however and even among their own and men like the young pitt mackeson ( jonathan rhys meyers ) and who will use the conflict a a vehicle for personal gain and a nothing more than an excuse to express their own violent nature through unnecessary brutality and perpetrate in many instance against innocent victim . and so and for jack bull and jake and as well a many just like them and it become a time in which loyalty and moral judgment will be sorely test while a time during which their soul will be temper in blood . and they will have to ride with the very devil himself and against seemingly insurmountable odds . a with all of his film and director ang lee approach his story through an incisive and yet subtle examination of the tradition and cultural aspect and moral attitude of the people and time he be depict . and in so do and lee provide his audience with at least some understanding of his subject that go beyond the actual story and ultimately offer and perhaps and a deep grasp of the motivation that propel his character and the drama in which they be engage . whether it the tradition and custom that account for the relationship between a father and his daughter ( ` eat drink man woman ) and the effect of class distinction ( ` sense and sensibility ) and the honor and code by which a warrior life and dy ( ` crouching tiger and hidden dragon ) or the moral ambiguity foster by a lack of all of the above ( ` the ice storm ) and lee infuses his film with insight into the human condition that take them to a high level . this film be no exception while and ( a he do with all his film ) and lee present his story with the aid of breathtaking cinematography ( in this film and by frederick elmes and who also do ` the ice storm brilliantly ) and which under his guidance be nothing less than visual poetry . it that special lee touch and and it add a wistful and reflective sense to whatever story he be tell and which be one of the element that make his film so memorable . a jake and tobey maguire initially bring a sense of youthful innocence to the film that contrast so effectively with the maturity he convey later on a the story develop and and his character along with it . most importantly and maguire convincingly and believably respond to the event that unfold around him and which add to the credibility of the overall film and underscore the realism of the presentation represent his stoic acceptance of death and the news of those ` murder in the various skirmish and battle while the moral propriety to which those he encounter adhere and even in such troubled time while the betrayal and which because of the nature of the conflict be almost commonplace while and the loyalty and belief to which he and his companion cling adamantly . it be all of this that maguire achieve through his performance and and it be no small accomplishment . it be and however and the kind of studied and understated performance that be often take for grant and which be unfortunate while work like this be worthy of acclaim and and should be recognize . skeet ulrich be effective and as well and a jack bull and and jewel ( in her motion picture debut ) turn in an engaging performance a sue lee shelley . it be jeffrey wright and however and who stand out in a notable support role a daniel holt and as well a jonathan rhys meyers and who bring a chill christopher walken like menace to his role of pitt . also and in what amount to a cameo role ( one scene ) and mark ruffalo leave an indelible impression with very little screen time . the support cast include james caviezel ( black john ) and simon baker ( george clyde ) and tom guiry ( riley ) and tom wilkinson ( orton brown ) and john ale ( quantrill ) and john judd ( otto roedel ) and kathleen warfel ( mrs. chile ) . the civil war will forever be an open wound upon the nation while but hopefully and a time go on and it will be through the objective contemplation of filmmaker like ang lee and film like ` ride with the devil that will ultimately help to close the schism and promote healing . in light of more recent event and it be something that be sorely need and worldwide . film be a powerful medium while it can be educational as well a entertaining and and perhaps in the future more filmmaker and like ang lee and will embrace and promote a sense of unity through the sensitive depiction of the event and attitude that make u what we be . positive . .