All I hear is people griping about how long this film is. That's not the point. The point is it represents what is considered by historians to be the most important battle of the American Civil War.

I will admit that the length of the film kinda takes away from it, but it is nonetheless good.

Save a few historical gaffes (eg. Chamberlain and the 20th Maine at Picket's Charge - in reality, they were being held in reserve near the Round Tops with the rest of the V Corps),this film is very realistic, using thousands of professional re-enactors to fight the battle scenes, which adds to it.

Many battles and side notes were left out (eg. Vincent was mortally wounded on Little Round Top; or did they mention this, I don't remember),but that is okay, given the film focuses on Joshua L. Chamberlain and the 20th Maine, who saved the day at Little Round Top on July 2.

Skirmishes at the Herr Tavern, McPherson's Hill, Little Round Top, and Picket's Charge were all the fighting I remember. But, again, this doesn't really take anything away.

The sweep and grandeur is helped by the superb cinematography (by Kees Van Oostrum) and great acting on the part of Tom Berenger (Longstreet),Martin Sheen (Lee),Jeff Daniels (Chamberlain),C. Thomas Howell (Tom Chamberlain),Sam Elliot (Buford),and the rest of the superb cast. A standout is the late Richard Jordan as Lewis Armistead, the brigade commander in Picket's division who was killed leading his troops "over the top" against Union artillery.

The battle scenes are excellent; Picket's Charge, in real time, is superb, but the furious battle for Little Round Top is one of the most desperate battle scenes ever filmed. You can feel the fear and tension of the 20th Maine as the 44th Alabama (I believe this is correct) charges up the hill again and again. When Chamberlain and his men finally sweep their opponents off the hill?

I think that it may have been good to portray the charging Confederates as well, since they had many interesting stories among them (e.g., the commander of the 44th, William Oates, had a brother, John, who had been ill with a fever and refused to stay behind, and was mortally wounded in the carnage),and the heroics of such people as Vincent himself, and Patrick O'Rourke (who led his New York regiment in a counterattack that saved Vincent's right flank and was killed in the charge) are neglected, but I'm not complaining.

Despite the length and a few overdramatic speeches, this is a great movie.

Seven out of ten.

Its over four hours long,but doesn't feel it. Any while its not gory you do get a sense of the hell of war.

What can I say that hasn't been said already?

The film works mostly because at its center its the story of Jeff Daniel's Joshua Chamberlain, a well educated man who goes off to do his duty even though he knows he may end up dead. Daniel's gives a performance that should have been noticed by the Oscars but wasn't. Its through Daniel's interaction with all the other characters that we come to understand what the war was about.

Even if the odd facial hair makes you crazy, its a great film. I can't recommend this film enough.

Anything you ever wanted to know about the battle of Gettysburg will be here in this 4 1/2 hour film. The turning point of the Civil War, Gettysburg stopped a series of victories won by Robert E. Lee. Had Lee won at Gettysburg he had nothing to stop him had he chosen to march north, east or west. It probably would have meant a negotiated peace and two nations.

It should be emphasized that Gettysburg is not a film concerning a defense of slavery. It is about a lot of brave men who met outside a Pennsylvania town on both sides. Some of the scenes between battle scenes show the commanders on both sides talking about their relationships with folks on the other side before the war. That the struggle tore people apart is well documented here. People fought people who were friends before 1861 and geography tore them apart.

No computer graphics here. A cast of thousands, movie making on the scale that Cecil B. DeMille used to practice. The repelling of the Confederate advance off Little Round Top and Pickett's charge are particularly well staged.

My favorite scene is the anguish of Robert E. Lee played by Martin Sheen when JEB Stuart finally reports. Stuart's cavalry which was indispensable to Lee went off God knows where and Lee lacked vital intelligence. Sheen really dresses Joseph Fuqua as Stuart down, but then says you're still one of the best I have.

The battle was not planned at all. Advance troops of Lee's moved into Union territory in southern Pennsylvania hearing of a shoe factory where Lee could commandeer footwear for his troops, some of them marching barefoot. Advance Union troops engaged and more troops poured in from both sides. The battle just grew from a skirmish to an epic.

The Confederates get more time than the Yanks. But on the Yankee side attention should be paid to Richard Anderson as Union commander George Meade and Jeff Daniels as Joshua Chamberlain and Brian Mallon as Winfield Scott Hancock. Tom Berenger has a big role he makes the most of as General James Longstreet, probably Lee's most valuable corps commander.

Like Birth Of A Nation, Gettysburg is some living history and makes great use of some of the still photographs of the era. It is required viewing for Civil War buffs.