A not-so-average Western that still does the trick after so many years

philip_vanderveken

"Dances with Wolves" is hated by quite a lot of people. Is it perhaps because the Indians aren't depicted as the bad guys for once or is it because this isn't the usual Western in which you'll not find a justification for the slaughtering of the Indians? Is it because it is very long or is it because Kevin Costner is in it? I don't know, but I do know it is very cool to dislike everything he has done, but I'm not following the masses. I can still think for myself and I must say that, even though the man has done some bad projects (for instance "Waterworld"), this movie is absolutely one of his best.

The movie starts with showing us a wounded Lieutenant John Dunbarr (Kevin Costner) who is about to have his leg amputated. Because he wants to keep it, he decides to flee and go back to his troops. Than he does something stupid. He takes a horse and starts running in front of the rebel front line, but doesn't get hit once. His troops, overwhelmed by so much 'bravery' all jump up and start fighting again and eventually win the battle. Because a general has seen what happened, Dunbarr gets the honor of having his wounds being treated by the general's surgeon, who saves his leg. Now that he feels better again, he asks to be send to a remote outpost in the West. Arriving there, he finds himself in the middle of the wilderness, all alone and surrounded by hostile Sioux. His only companion is his horse and an old wolf that he calls Two-socks. Gradually he gets accepted by the tribe, where he is known as "Dances with Wolves" and falls in love with "Stands With a Fist", a white woman who had been adopted as a young girl and was raised by the tribe. But while he is living with the Indians, the West is very fast being conquered and one day he finds new troops in his camp and even though he is an American soldier, he is seen as a traitor.

I've always had a weak spot for the not-so-average Western, so when this movie first came out I was already a fan. Now, so many years after it was first shown, this is still one of the best Westerns ever. I like the fact that it shows the Indians not as savages, but as normal, loving people who only defended what was rightfully theirs. I like the fact that the movie isn't sugar sweet, but shows every detail very realistically. I even like the fact that the soldiers are seen as the bad guys for once. Add to this some very good acting and directing and an interesting story and you know you've got something special. This is a very good movie that should be seen by everybody. I give it an 8/10.

score 8/10

philip_vanderveken 2 February 2005

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1012349/