Hey Mattie, I ordered it from Amazon and sat down to watch it yesterday.
I was really pleasantly surprised. I mean, I haven't seen a BAD Ang Lee film yet, but reading what other people have said about RWTD, I thought it might be just a bit so-so, and hard to get through.
I actually loved it! A very interesting take on the civil war and how it affects everybody in different ways, and how conflicts divide families and friends at a very local level. It was fascinating to me and I couldn't look away until it finished. Liked all the performances, esp Tobey and Skeet, enjoyed Jewel for what she was, no great shakes but she didn't suck which was fine.
One common thing I've found with every single Ang film I've watched (the only one I haven't is Pushing Hands) - is that he creates characters that completely pull you in and you just have to follow them to find out what happens to them. They stay with you a long time afterwards too, to the extent that for me they become quite real.
To me that is Ang's great strength, and he can do that no matter what the genre or the story.
Note to Mod: please include Ride With The Devil! Not that I would vote it my favourite, but I think it should be included so people are more aware of it. It is really a thoughtful and insightful movie, and plenty of action in it too, although I would never call it an 'action' movie.