Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Slow, too-long Civil War romance has violence and gore.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
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Where to Watch
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Union
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
UNION tells the story of Henry, a woman disguised as her deceased brother and fighting in the Confederate army. When Henry is injured and his female gender is discovered, Henry realizes that all he wants is to get back to the woman he fell for, Virginia, who helped him after he was wounded in an earlier battle. Once back together, he agrees to stay disguised as Henry so that he and Virginia can get married and keep her from an unwanted, arranged marriage. But Henry is haunted by a promise he made to a dying friend to look after the friend's son, Harrison. Harrison was taken by the Union army in the skirmish that killed his mother, Henry's friend. So Henry feels compelled to leave Virginia behind on the farm, risk capture and execution, find Harrison, and bring him back.
Is It Any Good?
Somewhere in the wreckage of this movie is the nugget of a compelling story that could explore complex issues about love and gender, but unfortunately it falls far short on just about every level. The biggest problem with Union is its pace, which is unbearably slow and makes 2 hours and 15 minutes seem like forever. There are so many unnecessary scenes, and they only further confuse the story. Which brings us to the second-biggest problem: All the jumping around in time and place that makes it hard to figure out what's happening when, or even who many of the people on the screen are.
Apparently, it's a sequel to a 2005 movie called My Brother's War, so it's possible that watching that movie first might clarify some of the characters and timing of events. But it wouldn't help the slow pace or missed opportunity to meaningfully explore gender in the context of war, romance, or comparing indigenous and colonial conventions. It's too bad this movie leaves so much unexplained, poorly explained, or just plain not explored, because it's a fascinating topic that's well worth exploring in a more compelling and historically accurate context.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Union. How much is too much? Is it OK if it's about historical events? Why or why not?
Did you know that women fought in both armies during the Civil War? What do you think it was like for them? Look online or go to your library to find out more historically accurate information about the "soldier women."
Did you know much about how indigenous people viewed gender before you saw the movie? Do you relate more to their perception of gender, or to a pretty strictly binary view like the colonists had? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 25, 2018
- On DVD or streaming : August 13, 2019
- Cast : Whitney Hamilton , Virginia Newcomb
- Director : Whitney Hamilton
- Studio : Indican Pictures
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : History
- Run time : 135 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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