Rated R, 143 minutes
Garcia best thing about affecting, overlong "For Greater Glory"
The
new drama "For Greater Glory" is the epic new fact-based historical
drama about the war for religious freedom in Mexico in the late
1920s. Essentially a Mexican "Braveheart," it stars Andy Garcia as the
military leader who led the fight, and he is the best thing about the
engrossing but overlong drama. Garcia is Enrique Velarde, a former
general in the Mexican army helping lead the fight over religious
persecution in late 1920s Mexico from Mexican President Calles (Ruben
Blades, used well here). The epic, earnest drama "For Greater Glory,"
directed by "The Lord of the Rings" visual effects supervisor Dean
Wright, is handsomely filmed on location in Mexico with Garcia
headlining the cast as the stalwart general who wasn't a religious man.
Veteran Peter O'Toole has a very small role as a priest while Eva
Longoria cameos as Velarde's wife, but this is largely Garcia's movie
and he has a couple of nice, climactic "Braveheart"-esque speeches to
rally the troops. The battle scenes are impressively staged and the
music from Oscar-winner James Horner (who, interestingly, also did the
score for "Braveheart") uplifts. "For Greater Glory" is designed to
inspire (especially Catholics) but it's too long and one violent scene
involving a child may not set well with some (off-screen would have been
better). Though a flawed film - it's unclear on the outcome of this
specific war - "For Greater Glory" is an otherwise stirring tribute to
those who fought the good fight for freedom, religious or otherwise.
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