This film is more than the crime drama it appears to be on the surface. It's also an indictment of the American Indian reservation system. This really is a fascinating film.And then there's Val Kilmer at his slim, handsome best. And I do mean best. He is superb in this film. Filmed in 1992, this was near the beginning of Kilmer's hot career period, which pretty much ended a decade later when he began looking not at all like the handsome leading man he had been.Sam Shepard is also quite good as a fellow FBI agent, although seriously -- get your teeth fixed. I'm not joking, he would have had a better career if he had had some decent dental work. I've noticed it in other films, as well.Graham Greene is also wonderful here as a tribal police officer. And that is another factor about this film that is refreshing. So many of the cast members are American Indian actors. Most interesting is the very old Ted Thin Elk.Filmed mostly on location, some of the photography of the Badlands is quite stunning. This movie has a real feel to it. And, unfortunately, the movie makes me sad about life on Indian reservations. Recommended. A very strong 7.

'Thunderheart' occasionally Hollywoodizes the Native American story in shallow, obvious ways, but overall it's a solid political thriller, with probably my favorite, most vulnerable performance by Val Kilmer, along with a great supporting turn by Graham Greene. While some of the bad guys are a little too obviously evil in a Snidely Whiplash, mustache- twirling way, and Kilmer's conversion from straight down the middle FBI man to sensitive, spiritual 'real' Sioux is a little quick and facile, the film still has more than it's share of tense, moving, and thought provoking moments. One of those ever more rare big Hollywood films that's still about something. Great photography by Roger Deakins.

There's been a murder on a Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota and it's connected to reservation politics. Assistant FBI director Fred Dalton Thompson thinks it would be a good idea to specifically assign an agent with an Indian and specifically a Sioux heritage to investigate the homicide, figuring that the insular Sioux might better cooperate with him. Agent Val Kilmer fills the bill and he's assigned to one of the bureau's top operatives Sam Sheppard who reluctantly takes him along. Even Sheppard who's a loner sees that Kilmer just might be useful here.To say that there is more on this reservation than meets the eye is putting it mildly. And Kilmer finds he has a destiny here and he does in fact solve the case with the help of reservation cop Graham Greene.When referring to Indians in the USA their various tribes are called this or that nation. Calling them a nation as far as Thunderheart is concerned is correct in more ways than one. The reservations have their own autonomy in a lot of things, but they are also covered under the Constitution of these United States although you wouldn't think so the way tribal chief Fred Ward runs things. In fact the scenes of his reservation police disregarding basic fundamental rights could come out of some third world nation. That is the scariest part of Thunderheart and the part you will remember best.There's not just murder here, there's corruption on a grand scale and that is the destiny that Val Kilmer has in this film, to root it out and expose it. Just what is going on and who is involved you have to watch Thunderheart for.Although this is a part Lou Diamond Phillips should have played, Val Kilmer does fine in the lead. Another memorable role is that of Sheila Tousey, schoolteacher and Indian activist who has a good idea of what's going on and makes no bones to Kilmer about where his loyalties should lie.Sam Sheppard's role as an FBI agent is one that never would have seen the light of day if J. Edgar Hoover was alive. You'll see what I mean when you watch Thunderheart.Thunderheart is a fine drama, nicely photographed on location with fine performances uniformly from the cast. We can only hope that tribal leaders like Fred Ward are some kind of aberration among the American Indians.

I just watched Thunderheart in the middle of the night, having heard about it, but never having watched it until now. In October of this year (08) a book I helped write with Darrell New Plenty Stars, a full blooded Oglala Lakota on the Pine Ridge Rez, was newly released. "From the Flames of Wounded Knee to the Center of God's Will" follows Darrell's life from the Rez to Vietnam and back, arriving in home just in time to become involved with the 1973 Wounded Knee standoff, from which the film Thunderheart was based. Darrell and his wife Rose live there today amid continued unrest on the Rez. In the film, when the dry grass is parted when the character searches for his relative's name, "Thunderheart", you can see also on the Wounded Knee Memorial stone,the name Red Fish, Darrell's great great grandfather. I've developed a website where you can learn more about Darrell New Plenty Stars and his book at: www.GodLovesNativeAmericans.org. If you check it out, please leave us a message.