Too much of everything

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I have never understood why this film is so mocked regardless of 'accents' used it is a decent attempt to depict the American Revolution from Howe's successful attack at Brooklyn Heights through Cornwallis' defeat at Yorktown.Pacino, Kinski et. al. give a good performance and regardless of the 'coincidence' of their successive meetings they also are separate enough to give strength to the film.Sutherland is very good as the Sgt. who abets his commanding officer's perversion rather than be court-martialed for disobeying an order - The point of that particular scene was the same it has been since the Tower Of Babel - morals are for the 'hoi polloi' - we the elite have no need of such.The opening defeat of Washington's army on Long Island is well done showing what a rabble the American rebels were in 1776 but just as 'Tom' grows from a coward to a man to respect the scenes of his 'epiphany' are telling as he has lost everything and now must find his and his son's way amidst events he wants nothing to do with so too the Continental Army slowly becomes a force to be reckoned with.The pivotal scene of Tom's rescue of his son and the subsequent rescue of he and his son are well staged. The final scene, the end of the war, where he separates from his son and his son's new found bride and one hears a black soldier asking about his 'rights' and being told to shut up - portent of another conflict 80 years hence (1781-1861).Enjoy this film and note the black humor as Tom is made to substitute as a 'fox' for the merriment of the English officer corp.

Al Pacino goes all angsty in this film version of the American War of Independence, a film surprisingly made by the Brits (surprising given the content of the storyline). REVOLUTION was bad enough to single-handedly destroy the British film industry in the late 1980s, and it only really got going again a decade later.Whichever way you look at it, this is dull stuff indeed. Pacino's heart clearly isn't in it, and he feels and sounds like a very boring Tony Montana here. Donald Sutherland plays a British villain, somewhat inexplicably, and watching him struggling with a Yorkshire accent of all things is one of the most embarrassing things I've seen in a movie.REVOLUTION's general look and feel is decent, and Norway makes a good stand-in for true American locales. But the battle scenes are cheap-looking and the storyline never really goes anywhere despite the lengthy running time. Everybody seems to be a bad guy and the performances are way over the top; take Richard O'Brien for example. The only fun I had from it was spotting the youthful British stars at the beginning of their careers (Dexter Fletcher, Robbie Coltrane, Sid Owen, etc.), otherwise this is boring stuff indeed.

The Revolutionary War was waged here in the Americas'. Seeing this movie called " Revolution " directed by Hugh Hudson and written by Robert Dillon, one would expect a great outcome. However, I saw this film and as a Historian I expected so much more. The story begins in 1776 and continues to the end of the war. A father (Al Pacino) is visiting New York shortly after War has been declared. Straying away from his father, the son is inducted into the military, forcing the father to follow with the dubious promises of pay and compensation for his boat. Once fighting has been enjoined, they soon meet up with Sgt. Maj. Peasy (Donald Sutherland) a brutal , but very professional British soldier. From then onward, the two experience the confusing and often destructive effects of the war. Along the way, they are helped and sympathized by women of the revolution, like Daisy McConnahay (Nastassja Kinski). Unfortunately, the movie tests the limits of patience as our director includes scenes which should have been edited. The war becomes interesting with several easily recognized actors along the way, such as Robbie Coltrane and Graham Green, playing minor roles. Despite it's cumbersome length, the movie did have several realistic features, like the battle of Yorktown which were included in the final draft. Acting-wise, the cast made this movie and should be seen as most epics, over several nights. Good movie though. ****

I have always considered this film a masterpiece and long have regretted that it was so lost on jaded American audiences. I was very pleased to hear that it was finally going to be released on DVD. I was very disturbed soon after however to hear that the director, Hugh Hudson, has decided to butcher his own film in this version by cutting the last ten minutes of the original. Notwithstanding that some, not me, believed the original ending was somewhat hokey, for me this long, traveling camera shot, a complex crowd scene, is one of the most amazing pieces of cinematography in the history of film. I can't recall a piece of film footage that is more memorable. I have tried to describe it to many friends over the years. That it has now been lost is heartbreaking. It does not even sound like they left it as an extra on the DVD.