Now Showing: Delaware

Delaware
Genre: Historical/War
Director: Scott Cooper
Writer: Matt Parker
Cast: Christian Bale, Sam Rockwell, Eric Stonestreet, Ed Helms, Will Arnett, Jack Huston

Plot: The Continental Army retreats across New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War after a defeat. George Washington (Christian Bale) and his army narrowly escape across the river to the Pennsylvania shore, setting up camp. Washington meets with his officers: Gen. Hugh Mercer (Sam Rockwell), Col. John Glover (Ed Helms), Gen. Horatio Gates (Will Arnett) and Gen. Henry Knox (Eric Stonestreet). In the past six months, they have lost New York City and been chased through New Jersey by the British, and 90% of their troops have either been killed or taken prisoner, or have deserted.

General Mercer, informs Washington that their supplies of food, medicine, ammunition and winter clothing are dangerously low. Realizing that something must be done or the Revolution will collapse, Washington conceives a plan to cross the river before it freezes and conduct a surprise attack on the Hessian garrison at Trenton. The situation makes the plan appear all but impossible to Colonel Glover, but due to his loyalty to Washington, he agrees to take the army across. When Washington proposes this operation to his staff, General Gates scoffs at its possibility, going over the line by calling Washington insane and unfit for command. Furious, Washington dismisses Gates from the camp at gunpoint, ordering him into silence. The rest of the staff laughs, but Washington and Glover silence them with the lack of advantages they have.

Washington puts General Knox in charge of leading the logistics of leading the soldiers across the freezing river. They decide to make the crossing on Christmas night, hoping to catch the enemy sluggish and hungover the following morning.  The officers have only a few days to prepare their troops and weapons, and the soldiers, until it is time to cross, must be told no more than necessary.

On Christmas night, Washington orders the boats to start leaving as soon as it is dark enough to conceal their movements on the Delaware River. Once the boats get on the water, the weather begins to get progressively worse, with winds and snow making the trip much more treacherous. The boats have to evade floating ice in the river.

Washington's boat is one of the first across the river. He orders troops to make a sentry line around the landing area to make sure no one enters the area. As soon as all of his soldiers are across the river, Washington orders the army to split into two columns: one under his command and another under the command of General John Sullivan (Jack Huston). The two columns take parallel routes that surround the Hessian encampment in Trenton, New Jersey. Washington's column engages Hessian guards, some stay to fight Washington's troops, while others retreat only to see Sullivan's troops blocking any escape. Washington's army forces the Hessians to surrender after minimal fighting. The Americans capture 1,000 prisoners, seizing their muskets, gun powder and artillery, while only losing the lives of three American soldiers.