Copperhead (2013): Dir: Ron Maxwell / Cast: Billy Campbell, Angus Macfadyen, Casey Thomas Brown, Lucy Boynton, Peter Fonda: Disappointing Civil War drama about how we label those whom do not share our views. It regards a feud between two families. We have a farmer, played by Billy Campbell who has two sons although one is all but neglected while the other disappoints him when he begins dating the daughter of his rival. It also doesn't help matter when this son rebels and heads off to fight in the war. Angus Macfadyen plays the rival, a preachy type who operates a factory that makes barrels. Casey Thomas Brown plays the older son of Campbell whose views differ from his father's, and Lucy Boynton plays his love interest whose father disapproves. This all sounds good accept that when a film is advertized as a Civil War film it should deliver something that resembles a war film. What director Ron Maxwell presents is a corny drama with lame romantic elements that have all the appeal of a bad TV movie. Maxwell previously made Gettysburg and Little Darlings and here he combines elements of both and fails miserably. The acting is atrocious with lines bellowed out like an attention yearning stage play. Even a veteran actor like Peter Fonda got sucked into this charade with little to do. The screenplay works, for the most part, up until the corny ending where everyone comes together with a lesson learned. The only lesson learned is viewers attended a film themed with "love thy neighbor" while wondering when the actual Civil War footage would emerge. Score: 4 / 10
Review of Copperhead
