This film is worth watching purely for the climactic final battle, which is brutally shown. The build up and story are interesting, but some editing wouldn't have gone amiss.

I encourage all to watch this film for educational purposes. Anyone who believes this is good film I have simple test for you - did you really feel strong empathy for either side? For a film about two competing factions to work you have to have an emotional investment in one side in some cases both sides.I don't know if there was character development lost in the 100 minutes cut from Cimino's original working print or it was bad writing or bad directing. I strongly suspect it is a combination of all three. Two major issues. First the film does not provide a reasonable background on the behavior of the "Rustlers and Anarchists" - leading to the question did the ranchers have a legitimate set of grievances or were the ranchers just doing a land grab. Without that you can't become strongly invested in either side. Second the characters fly into unexplained rage or conflict. Was there some backstory that caused a trigger reaction causing conflict?Cimino should have cut the extravagant dance scenes which waste about 15 minutes of the film and used that time to draw us into the characters background.So what is the educational lesson here? You need a really good villain or a really good hero for a film like this to work - and preferably both. Cimino's two dimensional cardboard cutout heroes and villains just don't draw us in.It is not the length of the film - want to see how to do this on film watch Once Upon A Time In The West after watching Heaven's Gate. Same basic plot of both film - Once Upon A Time In The West it is the evil Morton railroad taking the little guy's land - Heaven's Gate it the cattleman's association...

Review summary is based mostly on movie's last scenes - on ship. I think that it had strong message. Now, I write my first review in renewed IMDB review submit form - what made some troubles with Firefox policy. I don't like new way of walking thru reviews too. Just my 2 cents :-) Heaven's Gate is not great movie, it has serious flaws, and is hard to watch most of time. I purchased BlueRay couple years ago, and managed to watch it until end only yesterday. First - it is too long, there are some way too long, stretched scenes. Then, the characters, their actions, motivations, dialogues - some forced Wild West 'heroes' - at wrong place. Main character talks very little. But that was just absurd that he did not say anything in very crucial situations. Why they just did not kill that main villain in black before battle - that could be main question. Ah, this is some kind of Western movie. I expected some social, historical movie rather. What is good is camera - spectacular most of time, the sets, costumes ... Shortly, the substance. Acting is fine too, but not great. I think that Cimino simply lost his sense after great success of D.H. . I still rate this 7, despite serious flaws. It has message, although not well presented. The title - I guess that everyone got it's double meaning. But that could be presented better in movie self.

This film had its critics, but i am not one of them. When i saw this epic work, the time flew as the story unfolded. I viewed it as a history lesson, of the west, and left the cinema elated and educated. Fantastic scenery, and set piece scenes, with quality performances to boot. One of my favourite westerns, and it has so much more depth than more popular fare.