Lions for Lambs, circa 1865

Unfortunately, Robert Redford continues to make ham-handed movies about current politics. "Lions for Lambs" looked like the worst movie ever made. I can't say I feel much better about his new film, "The Conspirator," about the hunt for people involved with John Wilkes Booth. From Ebert:

Yet a fever for revenge runs strong in the land, and Mary's rights are brushed aside. Despite a last-minute stay of execution, which is overruled by president Andrew Johnson, she is hanged. But her case resulted in enactment of strong habeas corpus guarantees being written into U. S. law. It can not have escaped Redford's attention that the prisoners at Guantanamo have been held without charge under both the Bush and Obama administrations, in apparent violation of the principles Mary Surratt essentially died to bring into being.

Ebert doesn't slam on it.  But he doesn't praise it either, so maybe he is waiting for his real review. Either way, it looks scary bad. Though with good beards.