aptain Robert Gould Shaw (here played by Matthew Broderick), the 23-year-old son of wealthy Boston abolitionists, wrote home routinely, chronicling to his parents about life in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. The actual letters were used as a basis for this film; they currently reside at the Houghton Library at Harvard University. And from the opening moments, it’s evident that plenty of attention will be paid to details, utilizing hundreds of extras, costumes, armaments, and related paraphernalia, dotting the sweeping landscapes – themselves riddled with smoke, rain, flags, debris, explosions, and, soon enough, bullets and bodies.

It’s September of 1862 in Maryland when armies clash at Antietam Creek – a brutally bloody battle, here featuring a rather shocking exploding head as canon fire rains down on marching figures. Predating the now-iconic introductory moments of “Saving Private Ryan,” these first few minutes are equally as striking, refusing to shy away from the atrocities of armed combat. Even the following sequences depicting the aftermath are stunning, as corpses are rifled through, injuries are tended to, and enemies are executed. “You all right there, Captain?”

Robert is treated to a brief reverie at a stately gathering, where fashionably-dressed people gorge themselves on fancy foods. But he clearly suffers from the traumas of battle; he no longer feels comfortable amid such groups, restlessly wary of loud noises and the ways in which participants are unfairly (or purposely) shielded from the actual horrors of what takes place on the battlefield. When Shaw is promoted to Colonel and given command of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry – the first Negro regiment – it doesn’t take much deliberation for him to accept, also appointing longtime friend Major Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes) as his right-hand man. At Readville Camp in November of 1862, Black folks from all states and statuses convene voluntarily, including the defiant Private Trip (Denzel Washington), the even-tempered Sergeant Major John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), and the unprepared Corporal Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher) – enthusiastic, patriotic, and willing to fight for their country.

“How much longer you figure they last?” Racism, infighting, doubts, harsh instruction from unsympathetic teachers, unequal access to uniforms and weaponry and supplies, and morbid threats from the Confederacy should any Black soldiers be captured, weigh heavily, yet it’s undeniably stirring when these unlikely troops band together in camaraderie and bravery. It’s a difficult journey, however, particularly when punishment is doled out, and when continued discriminatory treatment is levied. Regardless of the creative license taken (it’s hard to know how much of this presentation is accurate, though it’s clear that a few scenarios are amplified or conjured for extra drama), all of the main components are here, making this an effective piece of insight into the inception and undertakings of the 54th.

James Horner’s music aids enormously, along with uncommon perspectives on war crimes (chiefly as acts of rebellious vengeance) and the struggles for the 54th to be used for something other than manual labor, which exposes seemingly inevitable layers of corruption from opportunistic leaders. Eventually, gruesome combat returns, but it’s the rousing speeches, the steely performances (there aren’t any weak links in this cast), existential observations, and the potent relationships that remain most memorable (numerous scenes are allowed to linger for extra effect); this regiment is composed of underdogs with unmatched determination, which works considerably well in the cinematic medium. Oddly, Shaw is shown as the lead rallying force behind the 54th’s success, yet his uncertainty in all aspects of leadership seem to suggest otherwise; similarly, the film begins and ends from his viewpoint, which is a needless inclusion (an ambiguity toward who lives and dies is also unusual, though the Colonel’s outcome is entirely noted). Nevertheless, “Glory” is a superbly designed tearjerker of a war epic (the finale is exceptionally staged, sharply visualizing the ferociousness and futility), highlighting an often overlooked historical division entirely deserving of this big-budget, star-studded, theatrical adaptation.

– Mike Massie