The Last of the Mohicans (1992) User Reviews

Restoration of Dignity to Native Americans, Long Overdue

[gradyharp · 8/10 · 18 October 2005]

James Fenimore Cooper's trusty old nineteenth century novel 'The Last of the Mohicans' has provided a surprisingly sound springboard for a film that tries and succeeds in restoring a profound respect for the Native Americans. Yes, it is a story about the Indians and their culture desecrated by the arrival of European entrepreneurs and colonists all relating to Hawkeye/Nathaniel Poe (Daniel Day-Lewis), who as a child was taken by the Mohawk tribe and raised by wise Chingachgook (Russell Means) with the graceful skills and philosophy of the Native Americans. And it is through his eyes that we are brought into the universe through the eyes of the Indians.

The story is well known and needn't be elaborated once again. Suffice it say that Hawkeye becomes the scout who leads British family Munro including Colonel (Maurice Roëves) and his daughters Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May) into upstate New York and along the way find altercations with the French and with the Huron Indians, especially one Magua (Wes Studi) whose loathing for Munro's devastation of his village drives him to vengeance against the entire Munro family. Hawkeye and his ally Uncas (Eric Schweig) protect their lieges while steadfastly holding to the honor of their heritage. And of course during the harrowing events Hawkeye and Cora fall in love and Hawkeye takes great risks against his own life to ultimately defend Cora and her family.

Yes, there are many battle scenes, great reenactment of the scenery of the novel, and villains in all camps that provide the stormy progress of the novel. But it is in the quiet moments where Chingachgook speaks about the Great Spirit, the sanctity of nature, and his waiting to join the Great Council in the sky as the last of the Mohicans that the film's power is best communicated. The acting is very fine and the cinematography is splendid. This is a film worth seeing, one whose 117 minutes fly by leaving the viewer with a renewed respect for Native American philosophy. Grady Harp

Action, Romance, and Intrigue

[Volay · 9/10 · 6 February 1999]

The Last of the Mohicans is a timeless tale of the 18th century frontier and the virtue and tragedy that results when the uniquely different cultures of the French, English, Native Americans, and colonists collide. Based on James Fenimore Cooper's literary genius, The Last of the Mohicans transports the viewer back to a time of America's youth in a brilliant, mesmerizing fashion.

The story centers on an eclectic band of travelers, thrust together by fate and their attempt to escape danger and reach the besieged British fort, William-Henry. Deep within the western forests of colonial New York, Hawkeye, the white, adopted son and brother of the Mohicans, tries desperately to avoid an ever-increasing war. He is forced to act when, along with his Mohican father and brother, he encounters two endangered sisters trying to reach their father, a British colonel in command at the fort. Hawkeye, the rustic tracker, and Cora, the refined, eldest daughter, are naturally drawn together (much to the dismay of Major Heyward, an intriguing character who also vies for Cora's affections). Tensions and passions arise between the characters as a whirlwind of conflict and violence rages around them. In the end, each character must face heart-wrenching decisions that will affect their very lives, and the lives of those around them.

I especially love the way that the film depicts the perspectives of each of the groups involved. Whether the group is competing for military superiority or simple existence in their homeland, the viewer is given a true sense of their mindset in the midst of a great conflict. It is difficult to say one side or the other is completely to blame for the events that take place. Even the story's main antagonist, Magua (wonderfully portrayed by Wes Studi, Dances with Wolves) draws in a fair amount of empathy.

The Last of the Mohicans is a marvelous, visual adventure that thoroughly reveals the horrors of warfare, the wildness of a chaste frontier, and the fated and ill-fated romances of the characters involved.

Exceptional.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 5 November 2013]

In this 1992 version of "The Last of the Mohicans", Day-Lewis plays a long-haired version of the Deerslayer--a white man raised by Mohican tribesmen. He and his adopted father and brother are reluctantly pulled into the battle between the Brits and French during the French-Indian War (also called the Seven Years War). This is because the Brits have no idea what they were doing in the war and so it's up to these three men to save the day...or at least rescue a couple women from certain death.

It is interesting to note that when the film began, it did NOT say it was based on the original James Fenimore Cooper story but on the 1936 version of "The Last of the Mohicans" (which starred Randolph Scott). Much as I hate to admit it, the original story is very difficult reading and the decision to 'spice it up' by changing the story around (such as killing off folks who survived in the original story) worked well--making for an exciting story. It also helped that the film was made on location in the Blueridge Mountains of North Carolina--providing nice scenery you couldn't get in the more stagy (but exceptional) 1936 version. And, to top it off, the musical score was quite rousing and complimented the story well. All in all, a very well done and enjoyable film.

"The whole world's on fire, isn't it?"

[shhimundercoverdamnit · 10/10 · 11 February 2008]

My all time favorite film. Still gives me chills. It's easily one of the most amazing films I've ever seen and it also features perhaps one of the greatest soundtracks ever. They way, the music hits the scenes is just absolutely astonishing.

In essence, The Last of the Mohicans is an epic adventure/romance set against the panorama of a frontier wilderness ravaged by the French and Indian War.

Director Michael Mann brilliantly captures the essence of the era ( 1750's)-the hand-to hand battles, the scalping's, the harsh life in the wilderness, etc. But, I especially love the way that the film depicts the perspectives of each of the groups and the people involved. Whether they are competing for military superiority, referring to the French General Montcalm ( Patrice Chéreau ) and the British Colonel Munro (Maurice Roëves) or the simple existence of peoples in their homeland, the viewer is given a true sense of their mindset in the midst of a great conflict.

Even the story's main antagonist, Magua (wonderfully portrayed by Wes Studi) draws us in.

The always amazing Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Hawkeye, rugged frontiersman and adopted son of the Mohicans. Day-Lewis, with flowing mane and heaving pecs, makes a virile but sensitive hero for the screen and Madeline Stowe is Cora Munro, aristocratic daughter of the proud British Colonel Munro. Stowe manages to find in Cora a fiery balance between sensitivity and strength. One can't help but feel fascinated and/ or captivated by her dark eyes and flowing dark hair.

Generally, the film tells the story of Hawkeye and Cora Munro, two people who meet across cultural and class barriers, and are presented serious new challenges.

But the film has so more. For example, the contrasts between the two brothers ( Hawkeye and Uncas) and the two sisters ( Cora and Alice). Hawkeye being the more daring and outspoken from the start. He dares to approach the dark haired Cora when he was drawn to her, where as Uncas (Eric Schweig) never openly reveals his attraction to Alice ( Jodhi May). Besides, those short simple looks and glances.

But then again, do we really need lines? No. Both Schweig and May have very few lines, but it is their eyes, that are saying everything... Case in point, that sequence in the cave, where Uncas pulls Alice back from the falls and holds her.

All in all, I have to honestly say that the last 40 or 50 minutes or so of this movie, are just completely off the hook. I'd wager it might start along the lines of hearing that huge Huron war party cry as the British Army retreats from Ft. William Henry. This leads to Hawkeye vow to rescue Cora no matter what in the scene that takes place behind the waterfall. This is a scene that has been copied and mimicked by many others ( notably Tom Cruise in M1-2) but the way Day-Lewis delivers the line "You stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you" simply makes you believe him.

Another amazing sequence would be when our heroes are running up the hill to save Cora, Alice, and the British Maj. Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) after they've been captured. For whatever, reason the Directors Expanded DVD emits the haunting Clannad song, "I Will Find You". Why this isn't heard during the scene is beyond me.

I've watched this film way too many times now, but easily it is the last 15 minutes that are the most powerful and emotionally devastating. For instance, just watch the way the sequence of music starts with Duncan shouting "take her and get out", you know that something serious is going to happen and Duncan is doomed......

Or the scene of Uncas's and then Alice's shocking deaths. I've always viewed the later scene as the first time Alice takes control of her own destiny and chooses not to be a victim. She finally snaps out of her shock-induced haze and takes action. Her choice of suicide is made from a place of strength.

But it is also the more quiet of moments that simply resonate. For instance, when Chingachgook ( Russell Means) speaks about being the Last of his tribe.

A film that truly resonates. No matter the age or the mood.

Absolutely thrilling. One of my most fav...

[lethalweapon · 21 July 2004]

The Last Of The Mohicans

This is turning out to be one of my most favourite romantic epics of all time. I know most people do not see this as romantic as it is a classic battle movie. As a matter of fact, seeing the trailer and the posters left me with the impression that this is indeed a war movie, what with the battle scenes and all; something along the lines of `Braveheart'. But upon seeing the movie, I was awed by the unexpected change in genre. The movie is a masterpiece, and all the actors and actresses certainly do amazing jobs. Daniel Day Lewis is simply amazing as Hawkeye. Though I usually try to read some of the more interesting books based on which movies are made, I haven't read the book in this case. But I sincerely doubt whether the book can be as good. Plus, I am told that the movie and the book have little in common.

Madeline Stowe is stunning as Cora Munro, and Jodhi May was certainly impressive as the frail dependent younger sister. Nathaniel, or ‘Hawkeye', is the adopted son of Chingachgook, played by Russell Means, whose real and lone son Uncas contributes to the team's claim of being the last of the Mohican clan. The British recruitment of Militia from its colonies during a time of war against France brings about a certain unrest. And it is further deepened by the character of Magua, who is a Huron warrior bent on a personal vendetta against British Colonel Munro, and his family. Magua is bent on the utter destruction of Colonel Munro and his two daughters, hence ‘wiping his seed from the earth'. Chingachgook and his two sons become entwined in between all this. To top that, Nathaniel falls in love with Cora and their love story takes the show from there. It is sensually and emotionally stimulating, and we as the audience feels engulfed in the mastery.

The love story I liked better was the one played in the background, an story that is absent, yet strongly felt throughout the movie. I am referring to the love story between Eric Schweig's character, Uncas and Alice Munro, played by Jodhi May. It is the subtleness and the overtone-nature of the love that builds in us a sense of involvement. To the best of my memory, they never spoke a word to each other, but the passion is strongly felt. And the climax really takes us to another level of appreciation.

Wes Studi is probably the fiercest villain I have seen on screen. His mere presence builds an acute level of intimidation. The character portrayal is flawless, and the casting done is excellent. I do not believe that anybody…, anybody at all, could have replaced Wes in this movie. The fierceness, the anger, the viciousness, the… the everything required to build up the character… He has done all that. Probably his best performance yet.

The music is sort of unconventional. Usually, the pace of the music is in sync with the pace of the action on screen. But in this case, the same slow music floods the scenes whether the pace on-screen is fast or slow. If I had heard somebody else say that, I certainly would have thought that it would not be effective. But amazingly, this unconventional approach works. And how! The music is probably the most addictive feature about the movie. After the first time I saw it, the music lingered in my mind for a month. All my waking moments, my mind was echoing that brilliant piece of work. I am a very very huge fan of Hans Zimmer, but I doubt if even he could have done a better job.

I have seen the movie eight times to date. And I will definitely see it again. The climactic scene is so moving that I have lost count how many times I've seen that.

Fierce, bold, and beautiful - "The Last of the Mohicans"

[dee.reid · 10/10 · 19 November 2004]

"The Last of the Mohicans" was one of the most popular and acclaimed films of 1992. Its vision of early America, as it was during the French and Indian War, is captured in its utter brutality and beauty, complete with the many driving ambitions and clashing cultures of everyone involved.

This movie has a bit of everything, including action, romance, war, and passionate drama. The director, Michael Mann, knows the story well and does all but completely discard James Fenimore Cooper's source material, which some have dubbed as being racist and totally unfair in its portrait of Native Americans.

The story (and what a story) is all over the place, with three frontier scouts - Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis), Chingachgook (Russell Means), and Uncas (Eric Schweig) - escorting a British colonel's daughters - Cora and Alice Munro (Madeleine Stowe and Jodhi May respectively) - to safety at the besieged Fort William Henry. Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) rivals Hawkeye for Cora's affections and a vengeance-driven Huron named Magua (Wes Studi) seeks to have both daughters killed in retribution for the loss of his own children.

This is by far Mann's best film yet (it ranks #15 on my all-time favorite movies list) and he uses the lush wilderness settings to great effect. He also makes good use of the editing, which actually comes in handy when showcasing the brutal violence that dominates much of the film's action sequences. The film's last 20 minutes are a definite stunner that can only be described as classic and vicious.

This is a great movie that shows America in its infancy, complete with the rivalries, intrigue, and violence that I'm sure was an everyday part of life during this hectic time period.

10/10

Overrated in my opinion

[K3nzit · 6/10 · 3 January 2020]

Daniel Day-Lewis and the supporting cast do a fine job in this visually stunning romantic adventure. The production design, action scenes and sound effects were all first-class. Sadly the story was too weak and the slow pace of the film in some places felt not motivated. I liked the powerful score, but it was used too much and became repetitive. Still a decent film by Michael Mann with many memorable scenes.

cheated at the oscars

[cooldarkraven · 10/10 · 28 August 2003]

This movie won the Oscar for best sound. I have little respect for the Oscars. Best score ever, some of the best photography ever. Day-Lewis gives a powerful performance whose only fault is that he has done better. Copper's sprawling story comes to life with powerful action scenes and emotional close-ups. The final chase is stunning to watch. 10/10

Beautifully Envisioned, and Nicely Told... a Few Awkward Moments

[mstomaso · 7/10 · 2 May 2008]

Michael Mann's take on J. F. Cooper's famous novel stick to the original story and characters very nicely, and brings together a great cast for some great performances. Daniel Day Lewis, Russel Means and Madeleine Stowe get the leads, but I have to mention the stand-out performance from Wes Studi (as Magua) - stunning! The story takes place during the "French and Indian War" and centers around the ill-fated British Fort William Henry. It is about a young white man (Day-Lewis) who has been adopted into the Mohican tribe and is a member of the last Mohican family (headed by Means). Hawkeye, his father and brother, side with the English almost accidentally, and Lewis falls for a spirited daughter of the fort's pompous and authoritarian commander. The story is loaded with action, subtle and more powerful dialog, minor plot twists, and a penetrating analysis of cultural dissonance and conflict.

The love story, at times, is over-dramatized and allowed to distract from the story, but this minor problem is overlooked in this fine film.

The film features beautiful landscapes (many of which I recognize from hiking the Adirondacks), a strikingly interesting-looking and nicely talented cast, and a refreshingly Native American cast playing Native Americans. The cinematography is delicious, and aside from the minor directorial/editing issue mentioned above, this is one of the better directed versions of The Last of the Mohicans.

Recommended.

One Of The Greatest Adventure Films Ever

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 7 January 2006]

This was one of those movies I didn't expect that much when I first saw it so I was pleasantly surprised. Since then, it has skyrocketed to nearly the top on my list of all-time favorite films. I can't think of too many other adventure films that are better. Just a great, great movie.

It boasts an interesting story filled with intense characters, beautiful scenery, a fantastic score, good action and a nice romance. So....there is a lot to like about this Michael Mann-directed film.

The action scenes are quite realistic, and border on being almost too prevalent, to be fair. However, even if it may be a little too intense or frequent, the action is always interesting and varied, from all-out assaults to individual battles.

The story takes place in Eastern New York State but, in reality, was filmed in beautiful Smokey Mountain areas in Asheville, N.C. This movie looks spectacular and with an epic, sweeping soundtrack is quite a feast for the eyes and ears.

The eye candy includes a handsome leading couple: Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeline Stowe. Wes Studi is mesmerizing as the "bad guy." If you liked him in "Geronimo: An American Legend," you'll like his work here.

If you are fairly young and only know Michael Mann through his crime movies like "Heat" or "Collateral," please check this earlier film out. It could be Mann's best, which is saying a lot.

What a beautiful and sad film...

[RosanaBotafogo · 7/10 · 14 October 2021]

What a beautiful and sad film, the heroes decimating peoples, aborigines and Indians, in favor of a fight between whites for land that they don't even belong to, very sad... Very well produced, a novel to lighten the massacres, a great one close, the real heroes being heroes...

Pure cinematic excitement...

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 9/10 · 14 July 2002]

The year is 1757... The principal occupants of the region are Native Americans and a great diversity of wild life...

It is the third year of the war between French and British, for the possession of the continent, somewhere on the frontier west of the Hudson River... The Mohicans are allied with the British while their old enemies the Hurons side with the French...

There, three men roam the forest making their living as frontier trappers and scouts... The first is Hawkeye, a superb frontiersman raised by the Mohawk, who can reload and fire a flintlock at full run; the second is his adopted father Chingachgook, the last of the Mohicans, and the third, his brother Uncas, 'a warrior swift and straight as an arrow shot in the sun.'

This trio seems have nothing to do with the early Colonial wars, until they come upon the vengeful Magwa and his Huron war party as they attempt to slaughter the Munro sisters, Cora and Alice, heading with a small regiment of redcoats to meet up with their father, Colonel Munro, at Fort William Henry...

Eventually, the compassionate Mohican family comes to the rescue with a spectacular style of fighting... The film takes full advantage of their graphic capabilities with incredibly fast and fluid fighting action and mind-blowing attack moves... Shortly thereafter, two love stories take place...

The three men lead the survivors to the English fort besieged by French forces and their Huron allies... The siege is a grand affair of roaring nighttime cannon and mortar attacks...

Michael Mann's historical romance film gives a realistic picture of the frontier life, and a vivid impression of the horrors of warfare in the wilderness at the time where the combatants often had time for one shot before being overpowered and reduced to hand-to-hand fierce combat... The movie is filled with scenes of incredible, brutal violence... It's warfare at a primal level...

Academy Award Winner Daniel Day Lewis also known as "The long rifle" is splendid as Hawkeye, the legendary warrior who encourages the Colonial militia to desert... He agrees to surrender in exchange for the life of two sisters and one British officer... He vows romantically to Cora that he will find her no matter how long it takes, no matter how far...

Madeleine Stowe manages to find in Cora's fiery character a balance between sensitivity and strength... War and tragedy swirl around her as she struggles to protect her man... Cora's attraction grows for the soft-spoken warrior, who shows marked differences when compared to Major Heyward...

Jodhi May is the blonde Alice, Cora's younger timid sister... By that long shot of her innocent face - a portrait of extreme torment and despair - we are all aware of her sufferings... We sense more pain than she can cope with... May has almost no lines, but her eyes, brimming with tears, are saying everything... No matter how much she wants to remain standing, she was retreating further and further from the ugly face of Magua... Her heart was crying out in anger... We all know that she will do anything than surrender... Her breakdown turns the scene into a willpower for revenge..

Russell Means is powerful as the Mohican elder Chingachgook... His running battle along that majestic ridge is some of the finest film-making we've seen in terms of action and intensity... There is no dialog in these moments but the scene leaves us certainly breathless..

Wes Studi is Magua, the infamous Huron Indian who always speaks of himself in the third person... He is fluent in English, French, and Huron... Magua is a strong, vibrant villain consumed with hatred... Magua plots the massacre of the retreating troops, their women and children...

Eric Schweig is Hawkeye's gentle and valiant brother Uncas... His quiet tenderness for Alice adds emotional weight to what could be passionate and unique... He asserts his mythic stature in a battle on a mountain top with Magua, not only to determine the winner in a struggle between good and evil, but also to decide the destiny of a race...

Steven Waddington is the last survivor of a troop of English soldiers caught by France's Indian allies... He is a jealous and snobbish officer who wants the radiant Cora at any price... Heyward brings some realistic touches of duality, showing his courage with one life-saving act...

Maurice Roëves seems impotent as Munroe... His blindness to the realities of "honor" brings destruction...

Patrice Chéreau is the French General Montcalm who gives Magua the go ahead to attack Munro's retreating army... He begs Munrow not to sign the death warrant of so many, and promises safe passage for the English so long as they return to England and fight no more on the continent...

The real inspiration of 'The Last of the Mohicans' is the extraordinary action sequences, the intensity of its music, and the exotic romanticism of such 1930's adventures as 'Charge of the Light Brigade', 'Gunga Din', and 'The Lives of a Bengal Lancer', where unshaken heroes never hesitate in the face of savage adversaries...

Michael Mann's camera exploits the beauty of the North Carolina mysterious Smoky Mountains, its verdant forests, and its white-water rapids and waterfalls... The opening shot of the fog misting through the Smokies are enough to take your breath away...

An excellent film about Colonial America

[filipemanuelneto · 7/10 · 2 June 2017]

I'm not an expert on US history, but I think I can say that this film, as far as historical accuracy is concerned, is one of the best I've seen. The uniforms, combat tactics, clothes, scenery, everything fits perfectly in the time and historical context that the film seeks to portray, and this is extraordinarily pleasing to people like me, who like to see a historically realistic film.

The screenplay is based on an extremely famous novel by James Fenimore Cooper, although it did not faithfully follow the book. This may be good for dramatic effects, but it inevitably leads to choices and decisions that each viewer can judge good or bad. I, in particular, saw nothing that shocked me. Actors' work is very good, particularly Daniel Day Lewis, in the role of Hawkeye, a European who was adopted by a Mohican elder and grew up in Native American culture. We can consider this to be one of the most remarkable works of his career, opening the doors to a series of other projects where the actor would come to shine ("Gangs of New York", "There Will Be Blood" etc.) Madeleine Stowe was equally well in the role of Cora. Finally, a note of praise for the soundtrack of the film, of excellent quality.

The soundtrack is the best part of this movie

[cricketbat · 5/10 · 12 September 2023]

I think the soundtrack for The Last of the Mohicans is great. I wish the movie lived up to the music. The first half of this film is fairly dull. The second half picks up a little bit, but still trails behind where it should have been. The battle scenes are clumsy, they spend too much time showing people walking/running, the romantic angle feels under-developed, and the characters come off as one-dimensional. I even found Daniel Day-Lewis' performance to be lacking, which surprised me. I remember not being impressed the first time I saw The Last of the Mohicans years ago. I remain unimpressed.

A must see!

[MVelez · 1 May 2003]

This film is a must see, and despite what some people say about the directing style being 'offensive', I couldn't disagree more. First of all, I truly appreciated the more balanced portrayal of the native American tribes. Previous films often displayed the tribes as bumbling savages with no moral sense and the 'white man' always taking the moral high ground. Michael Mann showed the equal amount of savagery that men from all walks of life are capable of and the universal lack of compassion often abundant in times of war.

The directing style is rich and Mann knows how to affect the audience's mood with his use of perspectives. The acting and music was superb. My only issue with the whole film was the limited shots of Uncas, whom I thought was just as interesting a character as Hawkeye!

9 of 10

Overlooked masterpiece bucked trends of the time

[pete-246 · 10/10 · 11 December 2003]

It used to baffle me why this film hasn't been held in greater esteem. I was blown away by this film when I first saw it, and knew quite a few people who snuck back to the theater several times for more. The beautiful and harsh scenery, dreamlike photography, sudden explosions of bloody violence, and raging, over-the-top passion amid a collapsing world create a pure emotional rush. This is melodrama at its best, which means that it can really stir your emotions if you let it.

After reading a recent review of Ron Howard's "The Missing" by Steve Sailer (Washington Times) I think I know why "Last of the Mohicans" was overlooked. No matter how good this film was, it bucked the dominant trend in pop-culture perceptions of Native Americans at the time - a trend, according to Sailer, that might be reversing. Here's a historical breakdown of trends in similar films:

1. 1950-1970 - Native Americans are one-dimensional, easily killed, comic-book villians. No religious elements appear. There are only a few exceptions to this rule (e.g. John Ford's "The Searchers").

2. 1970s - Native American violence becomes brutal and real - but we also get rising sensitivity to Native Anericans without much sappy-ness. To quote Sailer:

"'The Missing' resembles 'Ulzana's Raid,' the 1972 Burt Lancaster film that was one of several brutal but realistic films (such as 1970's 'A Man Called Horse') made during a brief period of balance in the depiction of Native Americans, falling between the earlier era's anti-Indian prejudice and the present day's happy-clappy New Age nonsense."

In other words, if "Last of the Mohicans" had been released in 1970 it might have been hailed as "progressive."

3. 1980s and 1990s - Religious/spiritual interpretations of Native Americans become dominant but are just as comic-book as the old 1950s violence. Native Americans are cute New Age "Dances With Wolves" icons that sit around and act wise. "Native American" becames an always-good point of reference in the Culture Wars. Classic example from South Park: an old hippie screams in front of a new Starbuck's

"...how many Native Americans did you slaughter to make that coffee shop?"

Michael Mann's "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992) clearly ran counter to the 1990s trend - it was trashed by critics at the time but I've always felt it was a much better film than it is given credit for, even a classic. But it bucks the New Age image of Native Americans so popular in 1992. For example, the old chief at the end uses his spiritual authority to make a brutal, violent decision for death so that justice is served. The Native American father Chingagchook kills the revenge and power-mad Magua without pity. And as for Magua's own behavior...nobody on either side is asking "...can't we all just get along?"

In other words, Mann picked the exact wrong time to make this film. In the 1970s it might have been properly recognized, but by 1992 it was out of step with the touchy-feely image of Native Americans. Coupled with its obvious melodrama and action-film hype, the film became too much of a "guilty pleasure" to win praise (but don't let that stop you now).

Movies are changing again, and that might be a good reason to go out and rent "Last of the Mohicans." According to Sailer, "the dark side of Native American spiritualism" is now being seen in "Missing". Like "Mohicans", Howard's new film loses the New Age stuff for a dreamlike action/horror state. The scenes below have their obvious parallels in "Mohicans":

Blanchett finds her boyfriend's charred corpse strung up over a campfire where the Indians slowly roasted him to death. Later, when a photographer snaps the Apache leader's picture, the shaman gets his soul back by tearing out the man's heart.

The other problem with "Mohicans" was that it is too "manly." There's a very strong female lead, but the men are also real, lusty, nasty men. By including this brand of passion, "Mohicans" conflicted directly with the "girl power" pop culture trend of the mid-1990s. Admitting you liked the film made you anti-woman as well as anti Native American.

In this light, consider Sailer's comments on "Missing" - they apply equally to "Mohicans:"

"Still, I have to admire Howard for ignoring the bogus and condescending fantasies about American Indian culture rampant in our society today. Native Americans have suffered enough without having the memory of their warriors emasculated by self-absorbed eco-feminists into sappy symbols. Geronimo was a cruel man, but he was every inch a man."

We may be on the edge of a revival of films which are capable of mixing Native Americans, violence, and romance in a good way. If so, the underappreciated "Last of the Mohicans" is a place to start.

Will make you forget that wimpy TV Hawkeye.

[jckruize · 10/10 · 24 November 2003]

Policier specialist Michael Mann steps way off his usual beaten path with this adaptation of that hoary old James Fenimore Cooper tale of frontiersmen, Indians, Redcoats and the French -- the latter back when they knew how to fight.

Chameleonic actor Daniel Day Lewis is totally convincing as Hawkeye, tracker, warrior, and adopted white son of Chingagchook, last of the Mohicans tribe. Along with adoptive brother, Uncas, the three are swept into the French and Indian war of 1757, treading lightly between the antagonists: French and Hurons on one side, British and colonials on the other, each faction potentially treacherous and deadly.

Mann doesn't waste time on exposition or character development; he just hurls us into the fast-paced, brutal action and the effect is like snagging the tail of a galloping racehorse and trying to hang on to the finish line. Madeline Stowe and Jodhi May, as sisters of the British major Munro, provide love interest for Hawkeye and Uncas, respectively. Steven Waddington is another Redcoat officer infatuated with Stowe, and he too shines as a 'bad guy' who's more complex than he at first seems. But the movie's almost stolen by Wes Studi as Magua, a Huron warrior who's allied himself with the French solely as a means to avenge himself on the white man. He's as mesmerizing and lethal as a cobra.

Technical qualities are exemplary, with special mention to the magnificent scenery of old-growth forestlands and mountains in North Carolina, and a superb score by Trevor Jones, with an assist by Randy Edelman.

Mann might not be the first guy you'd think of to stage an 18th-century period action/adventure/romance. But after seeing what he does here, no one can fail to be impressed by his range and bravura. This is a must-own.

Clearly I Missed Something

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 19 November 2012]

Three trappers protect a British Colonel's daughters in the midst of the French and Indian War.

I must not have been paying attention or something while watching this film. I love Daniel Day-Lewis, and I think Michael Mann is certainly an above average director (if not top tier, at least within reach of it). But I really just found this film to be rather boring and without much to hold my interest.

I also love historical films, and while I understand this is a fictional story, I appreciated the attempt to show the motivations of the British and British-Americans. I feel like the film needed more of that to really drive the context home.

And I should be interested by Mohicans, since the last of the Mohicans (their descendants) live within an hour of me in Shawano, Wisconsin. But this film just did not sell that.

Melodrama both a strength and a weakness

[Fluke_Skywalker · 7/10 · 7 July 2017]

Plot; The white adopted son of a Mohican Chief and the daughter of a British Colonel fall in love against the backdrop of the French and Indian War.

Walking a very fine line between historical drama and overheated melodrama, The Last of the Mohicans never quite excels at either. Nevertheless, it's reasonably compelling thanks to top shelf performances from its cast, an epic score by Trevor Jones (with a late game assist by Randy Edelman) and the steady hand of director Michael Mann.

Beautiful

[the_yellow_brick_road · 10/10 · 21 January 2007]

I cannot believe I have waited so long to watch this move... granted it was made two years after I was born, but regardless I wish I had seen it long ago! I don't think there are enough adjectives to describe this movie or the effect it has had on me. Incredible. Soul-stirring. Heart-rendering. Amazingly hopeful. Gloriously Sad. It has two of the greatest love stories ever seen on screen- both yearning, smoldering and heart wrenching, and yet so different and subtle- I won't say more. The battle scenes are violent and brutal, but not gratuitously; realism is no issue here- you are transported to another world, and the actors have clearly thrown themselves into it as well. The period is meticulously and perfectly recreated in incredible detail. The scenery is almost as engaging as the action itself; and the score is so perfectly descriptive of the stunning visuals that your spirit actually soars with it. Sorry to be so corny but nothing else justifies it. The final 25 minutes are, in my opinion, the greatest 25 minutes ever filmed. Without spoiling it, let me just forewarn- get the tissues. I have watched this movie 6 times in the past 48 hours. Don't wait, get hooked now!

Defines Epic.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 13 June 2016]

It's an exceptional rendering of Cooper's old tale about the so-called French and Indian Wars, which in Europe was called the Seven Years War. There's the merest hint of it here but this provided the springboard for the Revolutionary War. England was at war with France and was nearly broke, in part from defending its colonies in America. England imposed taxes on the colonies to help pay its debt. The taxes included taxes on tea, and the colonials saw it as "taxation without representation." I guess we know where that led.

Back to the movie. Wow -- what scale! The photography by Dante Spinotti is just short of magnificent. He gets it just right without revealing how much effort he puts into each shot. He's easy going too, the DP on two movies I worked in. Michael Mann is in directorial control. Together they have committed to celluloid a memorable shot of Fort William Henry under siege by the French. The first we see of the fort is nothing but what looks like a distant fireworks display on the Fourth of July -- behind the tree line, some vermilion flashes of light reflected from clouds of smoke and seconds later the barely discernible pops of cannon fire.

I won't go on about the plot. It's complicated. And it's not unfamiliar: the man of nature saving the innocents who represent civilization. Shane was such a figure. So were Hondo and Tarzan.

French and English exchange cannon fire and occupy fortified positions. They march through the dank forests in step, wrapped in bright red jackets and topped by peculiar decorative hats. The Huron Indians who have sided with the French have no such encumbrances. They're half naked, they know the terrain, and they have the advantages that all irregulars have, whether Lawrence of Arabia's Bedouin or those now fighting an asymmetric war in the Middle East.

Daniel Day Lewis is credible in the role of the white child adopted by the Mohican Indians. Madeleine Stowe is stunning. The battle scenes are staged well and are particularly brutal. Wes Studi, as the bitter Huron Magwah, rips open the chest of a British officer and raises the still beating heart in his fist.

And Studi gives an impressive performance. With his top knot and war paint and pebbled complexion, he's compellingly ugly. His character is a Huron and the Hurons spoke an Iroquoian language, entirely different from the Alqonquian of the Mohicans. But nobody seems comfortable speaking any Indian language, and for good reason. Mohican is already extinct and all of the Iroquoian languages are either extinct or severely endangered. There were no living speakers of either language to coach the actors, and both languages are hard to speak. Iroquoian has a series of consonants that can be written as "ktspyjam" -- as in "cat's pyjamas." Well, it looks like that was a little off topic. I don't know why I do that. I guess it's because the voices tell me to.

Michael Mann deserves credit if for no other reason that his directorial style is classic. No glitz, no shaky cameras, no instantaneous editing. Well, not much quick editing anyway, and only a few purposeful shots in slow motion.

The writers and the crew have taken what could have been -- and has been, in previous versions -- a stiff and uninvolving action tale, and turned it into rather more than that. It's a good movie.

Totally Absorbing

[InfoBabe · 10/10 · 16 April 2003]

This is one of only a very few films that I cannot stop watching once I start. As others have stated, the music, the scenery totally engage you from the beginning. The love story was not in the original Cooper story but in this case, certainly improves it.

Recently, my husband and myself and two other couples, all strangers to each other, at a dinner while on vacation in Hawaii started talking about films. I mentioned that the review we were seeing, South Pacific, that the story in the musical did not stand the test of time. However, the Godfather does and The Last of the Mohicans is one movie I cannot tear myself away from. All the others stated that they felt the same and all of us own the DVD and the CD.

It is amazing to me that this film was deemed not Oscar worthy, but what other films made in 1992 can you remember?

a film mixing Native,war and romance

[zephyr_00 · 7/10 · 25 March 2006]

I've been not seen war&love film for a quite long time.Today the 'The Last Of The Mohican' beyond what I expect.It recall the feeling when I saw the same-like movie exp:Braveheart,Troy..... Firstly what impress me is the combination between terrific scenes and em-charming tune. Story based on war between France and England.More or less it shows the absurd of the war. The speciality about this film is not only war but make the native's fate as additional factor.Director perfectly mix them.Of course,without the common factor love story as dessert,it wouldn't be brilliant as it is. The most meaningful talk take place among Magua,Chief and Hawkeye.The foreign colony really unmoral to the local.Besides,it happens nowadays though different format.

All in all, a pop relax movie for U.XXX/XXXXX

PS:No offense,the way European fight old times is totally inefficient.

Beautiful but flat

[stills-6 · 5/10 · 16 October 1999]

The cinematography is amazing in this movie. The shots are well-thought out and almost every scene has its own beauty, especially the waterfall scenes. This isn't enough to save it, but it's nice.

The main problem is that there is no chemistry between Lewis and Stowe. Lewis seems so intent on creating an inner world for his character that he forgets there are other people around him. Stowe was OK, Studi was good, Steven Waddington was very good and may be the best thing about it. But all of the characters are flat and uninteresting.

It's a good story, and I'm saddened to see it mangled by this attempt. It's as if the makers of this movie wanted us to know this was LITERATURE and must be taken SERIOUSLY, and therefore everything is BIG and DRAMATIC and STENTORIAN. There is precious little subtlety, which is odd for an adaptation of a classic novel. I always cringe when a good battle scene is placed in an inferior movie, because all the work that went into that scene to make it look so good could have been put into the rest of the movie.

The ultimate early Western romance.

[ajchappell · 16 November 2004]

This film, for reasons that are not completely obvious to me, struck a chord. It was in part the amazing location shots, partly the characters, partly the music and the action sequences. As for the (relatively) under-developed romance between the hero and heroine - all I can say is that the line that Hawkeye delivers when Cora Munro challenges this rough colonial who has the temerity to gaze upon her (a colonel's daughter) and says (essentially): 'Who are you looking at?' Hawkeye answers: 'You, Ma'am. I'm looking at you.' Priceless.

Interestingly, archeologists have recently excavated the site of Fort William Henry and discovered many interesting things, none of which contradict the events described by Fenimore Cooper. The attack on the defeated column in the woods also appears to be historically accurate.

This film, though imperfect, ranks with me as one of the best action movies of all time.