Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.
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Kevin costner is a actor who seems so underated, in this he directs as well as acts and it is the best work he has ever done. Every frame of this movie has had so much care and attention to detail put into it. You find yourself caring about every single character, the score for the film is perect. It's a epic movie with a epic run time but one that flys by and one you don't want to end. If you want a escape from all the cgi and one dimensional charcaters then this movie is a tough one to beat.
This is simply a masterpiece. The story of an outsider joining a indigenous community is not a new one, but this would have to be the greatest iteration of that tale. How Kevin Coaster pulled off directing, producing and starring in such a big film is amazing. The epic canvas that this period film is set is so beautifully captured by Dean Semler's cinematography and enhanced by the music of John Barry. I have seen the film no less than a dozen times. A must for high definition viewing.
1864. Lt John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) of the Union Army distinguishes himself in battle and as a reward is offered any post he likes. He chooses to go out west and is posted to Fort Hays in Kansas. From there he is ordered to Fort Sedgewick, the remotest outpost in the region. He finds it deserted and through a series of unfortunate circumstances he is stranded at the fort with nobody knowing that he is alone there, or even there. He meets his neighbours, the local Sioux tribe, and slowly gains their respect and friendship...Well-intentioned but badly executed. After all the westerns showing Native Americans to be nothing but savages, a movie humanizing the Native Americans was due. Dances With Wolves may be one of the first movies to have a balanced approach in that regard.However, that's where anything positive about this movie ends. The actual execution is quite bad. Director Kevin Costner turns what should have been a profound 2-hour journey into a 3-hour ordeal. Every scene is drawn out to the maximum and many scenes are there as padding making the move slow, dull and overly long. As director he also favours long, drawn-out close-ups of the lead actor, who happens to be himself. Seems incredibly self-indulgent, slowing the movie down further and detracting from the plot.Moreover, the whole tone is so preachy, moralising and pretentious. Turns what should have been a natural lesson to audiences into a soap-boxing sermon.Undeservedly won the 1991 Best Picture Oscar. How this won over Goodfellas I don't know. Might be the Academy's dislike for Martin Scorsese or the fact that they tend to prefer preachy movies.
What to say about this film in particular? I first saw this movie as a class project in grade 7 (1991). I enjoyed it then and I must say that I enjoy it 26 years later even more than ever. The depth and sensitivity with detail was beyond my juvenile understanding. While I recommend the uncut version, the theater version is more than an ample story of love, friendship, hate, and change in a strange time. Kevin Costner may have had career missteps, but this is his Magnum Opus. Graham Greene, Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman, and Mary McDonnell with a swell and superb supporting cast tells the story of change in North America. The maturity and sensitivity of indigenous folk is top notch. As a pre-pubescent 12 year old, I did not quite understand the entire story, but I did see this as a very important milestone in film making. Years of marinating and quite a large amount of thought has confirmed this as my favorite film of all time (Shawshank Redemption, a close number 2). The music, the scenery, the culture clash and ultimate mixing was superb. The white man's self appointed superiority without communication with the native Sioux (and Pawnee with many other tribes assuredly represented) here is the stuff of legends. I did not know this won awards as a kid. I only thought this was the coolest 3+ hour class I'd ever had. I passed the test from viewing this film. In Canada, relations still seem restrained between the First Nations people and the 'newcomers'. Truth be told, without plot details, this is a very good movie. I am reluctant to critique the age from which this film is depicting. Nothing can change what happened. I hope, as I think Mr. Kevin Costner does, that this is a very sensitive movie with action, some cultural difference, humour (who can deny the humour in the 'Good Trade' argument after the buffalo hunt?), and a great plot. If I had a picture or film to take with me to a desert island, or an abandoned camp on the frontier as described, this is the film. Although I am sentimental at heart, nothing has shaken my view of this film in 26 years. This hasn't aged and is timeless. Understandably, there are people who will disagree on varying levels. It made me appreciate the wars of the past and how ignorant previous societies were. It also showed me how far we still have to go in the way of understanding people who come from a different place or culture than what we grew up with. An eye-opening film and, in my opinion, the best film I have seen to date. The uncut version shows more detail and is recommended highly. In short, this is a lesson in how people are all fundamentally the same. We are conditioned within our own culture, more-so back in those 'Cowboy & Indian' ways/days. This film is an education piece. It also is the most entertaining education I have received (by film) to this date. 10/10
