Dances with Wolves (1990)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

This is one of the best films I've ever watched. A reviewer on IMDB, Craig-95, has written an excellent review which I wholeheartedly agree with. The film is now 27 years old but what the film stands for will always be relevant to the human race. Everyone should see this film and absorb its lessons. The world would be a better place if every being opened their heart and soul to the message this film conveys.

Kevin Costner's directorial debut. The original movie was more than 5 hours long. The theatrical version was cut to 3 hours. There a Director's Cut available, that is almost 4 hours long.The film won 7 Oscars, including the Best film and Director from the 12 Nominations. It has a shower of Awards and nominations like Golden Globe, BAFTA and so on.Lt. John Dunbar does a heroic act in a war. Upon his wish, he was appointed western frontier. The place was deserted. He had a regular visitor, a Wolf, that soon became his friend. Later he discovers that he is not alone there. He finds a colony of Indians. They try to communicate with him with the help of a White girl, who was adopted by them when she was a kid.A beautiful movie. You will not feel the length of the film. A must watch for all film lovers. #KiduMovie.

For many decades, the American film industry portrayed the Indians as bandits, in a portrait later reinforced in Italian westerns. In this movie we finally see Indians portrayed as they probably were: a people with a culture that white Americans were not able to understand. Cavalry officer John Dunbar, on the other hand, understood the Indians, forced by his isolation, but ended up being acculturated by them to the point of marrying an Indian woman. From there, this character follows his heart and his sense of justice more than his rational discernment. The story is deeply romantic and has a touch of sadness because we, the public, know the fate of these Indians, and the film shows us how the Americans knew to be unfair and cruel. Kevin Costner has earned in this film one of the most remarkable works of his career. He was brilliant in the role of the young American officer, to whom the fear, the need and the curiosity lead to initiate dialogue and coexistence with the Indians. Mary McDonnell gave birth to the young Indian who marries Dunbar and filled her character with gentleness, understanding and joy. The way the Indians are represented seems historically accurate, as does the representation of Americans. The wide prairie scenery is a beautiful addition, astounding and astounding the audience. Some sequences, such as marriage or hunting, are worthy of anthology.

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