Ride With the Devil

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Ride With the Devil

R,

1999,

2h 18m,

History/

Drama

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Watchlist

65%

68 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

On the fringes of the Civil War, Missouri Bushwhackers engage in guerrilla warfare with Union Jayhawkers. Bushwhackers Jake Roedel (Tobey Maguire) and Jack Chiles (Skeet Ulrich), out to avenge the murder of Jack's father, are joined by George Clyde (Simon Baker) and his former slave, Daniel (Jeffrey Wright). Hiding out for the winter, Jack has a short romance with a war widow (Jewel) before dying. Jake steps in to take care of her and her newborn before joining Quantrill's famous Kansas raid.

Critics Consensus

A well-acted, eccentric Civil War film, Ang Lee's Ride With the Devil is often more visually striking than it is emotionally engaging.

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Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Nov 6, 2002

1/4

Lee appears to have been torn between making a character study and an action movie, so both elements get short shrift.

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Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Mar 22, 2002

3/4

The intriguing (if not always successful) result is an oddly contemplative picture about a horribly bellicose time.

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Peter Matthews

Sight & Sound

Apr 17, 2001

While the movie intermittently revs up for some showy combat scenes, its real mtier is a texture of fine-grained observation that brings history to life on the molecular level.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 28, 2025

3/4

Lee may have chosen to relate a tale about the Civil War from the POV of the South (always an irksome angle), but it’s made clear that his loyalties rest not with either side of the cause.

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Jun 12, 2020

The acting gem in this two-and-a-half-hour epic is the hair-raising rivalry between Maguire and a feral young killer.

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Joe Leydon

The Moving Picture Show

Jul 19, 2014

Like too many other young men in too many other wars, Maguire's Jake Roedel sees too much, and grows up too fast.

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Leia G

Oct 17, 2018

Simply the best movie made of the Kansas/Missouri border war. Great horsemanship, weaponry, and true scenery. Severe brutality on both sides referred to along with a brief mention of Union prisoner of war camps instead of a solo focus on Andersonville.

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Albus W

Apr 3, 2017

Very interesting story of Missouri bushwhackers during the Civil War. Shows the confusion felt by people on both sides. Particularly interesting because of Missouri history. Toby Maguire very good. Touches of humor.

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Theodore R

Aug 19, 2014

Bad movie. While it certainly earns marks for its strong production values and solid performances from Maguire and Caviezel, the story and characters are nowhere near as compelling as they try to be, resulting in a pretty dull and non-engaging film.

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Ang Lee

Director

Skeet Ulrich

Jack Bull Chiles

Tobey Maguire

Jake Roedel

Jewel

Sue Lee Shelley

Jeffrey Wright

Daniel Holt

Simon Baker

George Clyde

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Synopsis

On the fringes of the Civil War, Missouri Bushwhackers engage in guerrilla warfare with Union Jayhawkers. Bushwhackers Jake Roedel (Tobey Maguire) and Jack Chiles (Skeet Ulrich), out to avenge the murder of Jack's father, are joined by George Clyde (Simon Baker) and his former slave, Daniel (Jeffrey Wright). Hiding out for the winter, Jack has a short romance with a war widow (Jewel) before dying. Jake steps in to take care of her and her newborn before joining Quantrill's famous Kansas raid.

Director: Ang Lee
Producer: Ted Hope, Robert F. Colesberry, James Schamus
Screenwriter: James Schamus
Production Co: Good Machine
Rating: R
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $630.8K
Runtime: 2h 18m
Sound Mix: Surround

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