watch cold mountain give me the impression that it director and anthony minghella and be deliberately try to outdo himself and the own film of his that he be try to beat be the virtually impeccable the english patient from 1996. compare the two movie and the premise be quite similar . we have a passionate love affair between two people set in a turbulent time of war and they end up treat the war more or less a a disturbance in the background while try to find themselves back in each other arm again . the primary plot difference be that nicole kidman character be not married and jude law be a deserter and and the conflict be the american civil war . cold mountain be and story wise and more water down and mellow than say the english patient and it more on the level for people who want a simple love story with some kind of an exterior turbulence cause a problem . it be a shorter film and which be a plus for people with less patience . however and it not a spectacular or original or genuinely gripping a the english patient . my only big complaint about cold mountain be and astonishingly and the love affair between the character of inman ( jude law ) and ada monroe ( nicole kidman ) . amazingly and their love be the least interesting thing in the picture . they do not have a real relationship while we do not feel any real passion come from them and the passion that we do see be more physical than emotional . i be more fascinate by the friendship between nicole kidman and oscar winner renee zellwegger and also jude law travel across country dodge vigilante and enemy soldier . if minghella have strengthen the importance of the love story and then he would have have and i feel and a good picture . of course and the movie be entertain even if the love story be uninteresting . the civil war sequence be absolutely great while they be of the modern tradition that show war a horrible and dehumanize . the re enactment of the petersburg campaign and in which ton of explosive be detonate from underground and then follow by a hand to hand battle be horrify . minghella do not shy from show blood and gore in an artistic and sensible manner and and he not afraid to show casualty of innocence and life in these scene . there be moment where woman as well a men be kill and oftentimes by crossfire . and there more to it . just the sound design of the movie generate tension . there a scene where inman and another deserter make themselves a meal by saw off the head of a dead cow . we do not see the slicing and but the sound effect of blade go through bone be sicken . lastly and i must congratulate the cast for the performance . jude law be terrific in the movie and deserve the academy award nomination he receive . i feel that nicole kidman deserve one as well and even though her character be a bit shallow . renee zellwegger have the most personality and screen steal atmosphere . and then there just the bit part that also really work to complete this stylistic world recreate a horrible time in america past . maybe cold mountain would have be well a a war picture and but it most certainly would have be spectacular like the english patient if it love story have be power up and make more passionate by the screenwriter and director anthony minghella . a it be and it a most enjoyable picture and i wasn not bore by it and and i recommend it . i just say that it love story though a central plot point be a little more mellow than it need to be and all the stuff around it be what really work .