I really liked this film yet it seems that whether you look for personal or professional reviews it is pretty widespread that people thought this movie was crap. I disagree.

It stars Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins as well as other big-name stars. What could possibly go wrong, right?

A lot of this movie has to do with a family that is involved in multiple wars and in the meantime the atrocities that were committed against American Indians both during and after the original occupation of what would become the USA.

Colonel William Ludlow flees the US military in order to raise his family (this is Anthony Hopkins) in a remote part of the United States intentionally beyond the reach of the government, which he now loathes despite having served in the military long enough to achieve the rank of Colonel.

The idea was that they would all live out their days in a remote part of the states as a family but then World War uno happened and the boys depart to defend their country (kinda.) As you might be able to guess it doesn't end so well for all the sons involved and this creates a bit of a rift inside the family

this is Eliot from E.T. by the way. was nice to see him in another film

Even after the war things get increasingly worse for the family on their property and eventually they have to work together to defend it against the government and also some semblance of the mafia

This movie is wonderfully filmed and I don't really know what it is that the critics have against it except for perhaps a couple of bear fight (yeah, you read that right) scenes that looked.... extremely crap. Pitt was at the pinnacle of his fame during this film and was still reeling a bit from the bad press that he (deservingly) received after being in Interview with the Vampire - which wasn't very loved, generally speaking, either.

The movie was nominated for best cinematography and i fully believe it deserved such a nod, it was really wonderfully shot. I disagree with the nay-sayers out there about the plot being ill-contrived because I thought it was captivating except for one thing - Pitt is involved in far too many love stories in this film but well, he was pretty much the biggest sex-symbol at that point in time.... perhaps they went a bit overboard with that.

Even the soundtrack is "legend" ary.... It brings back fond memories just hearing it.

I recommend that you see this if you are a fan of Pitt and are unfamiliar with his earlier work